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Page 1 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
SCHEDULE OF MASSES
Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30 p.m.
Sunday Masses 7:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m. (free childcare) (choir)
11:30 a.m. (free childcare)
5:30 p.m. (Contemporary Music)
Weekday Masses Monday-Friday: 7:25 a.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m
Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday: 3:15 - 4:25 p.m.
Wednesday: 6:00 p.m. (or by appointment)
ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL www.ascensioncatholicsch.org U.S. Department of Education
School of Excellence Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade
FAITH FORMATION Religious Education
Pre-K3 - Gr. 3 Mondays 3:30-5:00pm—Tuesday2:00-3:30pm
Pre-K3– Gr. 6 Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. Gr. 1-6 Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. Gr. 7-8 Wednesdays, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
YOUTH MINISTRY Sundays after 5:30 p.m. Mass
OUTREACH Ascension Thrift Store: 259-7291
Ascension Social Concerns: 259-5685
BINGO Thursdays
6:00 p.m., Parish Hall
As a good steward of the Lord’s blessings, please remember to consider your Parish Family or School Endowment in your Last Will and Testament.
ASCENSION CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
2950 N. Harbor City Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32935 Tel. 321-254-1595 -Fax 321-255-3490
www.ascensioncatholic.net
March 25, 2018 B—Palm Sunday of the Passion of The Lord
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel.”
SERVED BY:
Rev. Eamon Tobin....................... Ext. 3070 Pastor, email: [email protected]
Rev. Martin Fitzgerald ........ 321-254-1595 Associate Pastor
Deacon Sergio A. Colon ............. Ext. 3082 Bereavement Ministry, Hispanic Community [email protected]
Deacon Tom Stauffacher [email protected]—321-242-4504
Deacon Bill Terneus [email protected]—321-259-6168
Deacon Chris Meehan [email protected] —321-242-8003
Sr. Joseph Barden ........................ Ext. 3003 Development Director [email protected]
Sr. Immaculata ............................. Ext. 3039 Pastoral Care [email protected]
Anita Brady ................................... Ext. 3001 School Principal [email protected]
Mary Cunningham ....................... Ext. 3044 School/Parish Technology Director [email protected]
Betsy Glasenapp .......................... Ext. 3080 Faith Formation Director [email protected]
Mary Birmingham ....................... Ext. 3068 Music/Liturgy Director, Catechumenate [email protected]
Cara Giuliano ............................... Ext. 3501 Middle/High School Youth Minister [email protected]
Shelly Wackley ............................ Ext. 3080 Faith Formation Assistant [email protected]
Ashley Breaux .............................. Ext. 3077 Contemporary Music [email protected]
Monica Sutton .............................. Ext. 3076 Volunteer Coordinator [email protected]
PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
PARISH OFFICE STAFF
Teresa Romano ............................ Ext. 3050 Receptionist [email protected]
Mary Russo ................................... Ext. 3078 Business Manager/Bookkeeper [email protected]
Anne Dorros ................................. Ext. 3074 Assistant Bookkeeper [email protected]
Maria Sittig .................................. Ext. 3072 Secretary/Bulletin [email protected]
Brian Carley Facilities Manager [email protected]
Page 2 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
The Holiest Week of our
Church Year
Today, we begin once again the holiest and most solemn
week of our entire liturgical year. This week, we accom-
pany Jesus during the last days of his life on earth.
This week, our services are a bit different and, yes, a bit
longer. Today’s liturgy is longer primarily because of
the long passion narrative. This year, we are making a
concerted effort to shorten all three of the Triduum
liturgies. But the fact is, special occasions by their
nature take more time or are given more time, e.g.,
birthdays and anniversary celebrations. Ideally, we
should come to our Holy Week celebrations with a spirit
that says: “Let’s not rush through these special celebra-
tions.”
PALM SUNDAY
Today’s first reading is one of the four powerful
“suffering servant” poems from Isaiah. You would think
that the author received a special glimpse into the suf-
ferings of Christ as he wrote these poems. In today’s
first reading, the servant says:
“I gave my back to those who struck me ...
I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.”
On Good Friday, Isaiah says the following about the
servant:
“Our infirmities he bore, our sufferings he endured...
He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins.”
Our second reading today is Paul’s famous ‘kenosis’
passage. ‘Kenosis’ is the Greek word for ‘self
emptying.’ Writing to a community in which the mem-
bers often bicker and believe some are more important
than others, Paul holds up before them the humble
servant of Nazareth. Though he is divine, he does not
deem equality with God something to be grasped at.
Rather, he empties himself (of any sense of self-
importance) and becomes a humble servant to all who
open their hearts to him. What a beautiful example for
us. In many ways, the Christian life is about emptying
ourselves of self so that we might be filled with God’s
goodness and wisdom.
During our three-year cycle of readings, we are present-
ed with one of the three synoptic Gospels. We listen to
John’s Gospel on Good Friday. This year (Cycle B), we
listen to Mark’s account of Jesus’ passion. Two charac-
teristics of Mark’s passion are:
Jesus’ fidelity to God and his mission, no matter
what the cost, contrasts with the infidelity of the dis-
ciples and the crowd. Jesus has no desire to die; he
prays three times that God would spare him. But if
fidelity to God and his mission involved embracing
the cross and death, he was willing to do this. This
fidelity is expressed in his wonderful prayer of sur-
render: “Not my will but your will be done.” In stark
contrast, we notice weakness and infidelity in the
disciples. They fall asleep when Jesus needs their
support in the garden. Peter, the leader, denies Jesus.
Judas betrays him. At the time of his arrest, they all
flee and leave him. At the time of his trial, the
crowds who had previously sang his praises now
chant: “Crucify him! Crucify him!” But not all are
unfaithful. A few women remain close to him. One
anoints him; others keep watch as he dies on the
Cross.
Mark’s passion also presents us with a very human
picture of Jesus. In the garden, he begs the Father
three times to free him from dying. We can feel
Jesus’ disappointment when he finds his beloved dis-
ciples asleep not just once but three times. What
must he have felt when all his disciples “fled and left
him”? How painful it must have been for Jesus to
hear the crowds call for the release of the criminal
Barabbas and demand Jesus’ crucifixion—and most
of all, the sense of his Father abandoning him: “My
God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is a
cry of one steeped in human agony. Jesus pays the
ultimate price for fidelity to his call.
The Feeling of God’s Absence When Dying
We are all familiar with physical, emotional and mental
suffering. To what extent have we experienced spiritual
suffering, the feeling that God has abandoned us or is
absent in our time of need? Such suffering was the lot
of many great saints like St. Teresa of Avila and St.
John of the Cross.
Page 3 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
Perhaps the time when we might most need the sense of
God’s presence is when we are dying. Yet it seems that
is not always given to people—even to very faith-filled
people. In my years as a priest, I have noticed many
people die peaceful deaths and I have seen many others
struggle very much, faith-wise, in their dying. A few
years ago, Fr. Ron Rollheiser had a very interesting
article on this issue in the Florida Catholic.
“A common soldier dies without fear, but Jesus died
afraid.” Iris Murdock wrote those words and they teach
one of the lessons of Gethsemane. The Garden of
Gethsemane is also the place where we are put to the
test. What does this mean?
The great spiritual writer Fr. Henri Nouwen once
wrote a book (“In Memoriam”) within which he tried to
come to grips with his mother’s death. The manner of
her death had surprised him and left him struggling with
some painful doubts and questions. Why?
His mother had lived a full life; she had died sur-
rounded by a loving family and friends, and in her final
illness had been made as comfortable and pain-free as
possible by the best of modern medicine. What’s trou-
bling about that?
She’d died struggling, it seemed, with her faith, una-
ble to find at the most crucial moment of her life conso-
lation from the God she’d loved and served so faithfully
her whole life.
His mother, as he explains at the beginning of the
book, had been a woman of exceptional faith and good-
ness. He was teaching abroad when he received the
phone call that she was dying. Flying home to be with
her, he mused naively how, painful as it was going to be,
his mother’s death would be her final gift of herself and
her faith to her family. A woman who had given them
the faith during her life would surely deepen that gift by
the way in which she would face her death.
But what he met in his mother and her struggles as
she died was, at least to outward appearances, very
different. Far from being peaceful and serene in her
faith, she fought doubt and fear, struggling, it seemed to
continue to believe and trust what she had believed in
and trusted in her whole life. For Henri, expecting that
someone of such deep faith should die serenely and
without fear, this was very disconcerting.
“Why,” he asked, “would God to this? Why would
someone of such deep faith seemingly struggle so badly
just before her death?”
The answer eventually came to him: All her life, his
mother had prayed to be like Jesus and to die like Jesus.
Shouldn’t it make sense then that she should die like
Jesus, struggling mightily with doubt and darkness,
having to utter, “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me!” Jesus didn’t die serenely, but struggling
with doubt. Shouldn’t his most committed followers
expect a similar struggle?
The great mystics called this struggle “the dark night
of faith,” an experience within which God purifies us by
seemingly withdrawing all sense of his felt presence so
that our thoughts and feelings run dry and we can no
longer imagine God’s existence. We become, in our
hearts and heads, atheists at that moment, though some-
thing in our souls knows another reality.
And it’s an awful feeling, one of the worst pains pos-
sible. Darkness, chaos and fear overwhelm us and we
stand, literally, on the brink of nothingness, of nonexist-
ence, sensing our finitude, littleness and loneliness in a
way we never sensed them before. We feel exactly what
it would mean to live in a universe where there is no
God.
The great doctors of the soul tell us that, while
nobody is immune from this trial, it is generally experi-
enced in so radical a way only by those who are
the most mature in the faith and thus more ready to be
purified by its particular fire. It’s not surprising then
that it is experienced so strongly by people like Henri
Nouwen’s mother.
The rest of us tend to get it in bits and pieces. Little
doses of what Jesus experienced on the cross appear in
our lives, reveal the fearful edges of nothingness, and let
us taste for a moment what reality would feel like if
there were no God. Part of the darkness and pain of that
(and why it feels as if we are suddenly atheists) is that,
in that experience, we come to realize that our thoughts
about God are not God and how we imagine faith is not
faith. God is beyond what we can feel and imagine and
faith is not a warm feeling in the heart or a certainty in
the mind, but a brand in the soul—beyond thought and
feeling. One way or the other, all of us have to learn
this. But we’d like the lesson to come to us a bit more
gently than how it came to Jesus in his last hours. When-
ever we pray the Lord’s Prayer and say, “Do not put us
to the test,” we’re asking God to spare us from this
night of doubt.
Reflection:
What strikes you most about the above article?
Currently, how do you feel about death and dying?
Page 4 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
THE TRIDUUM: THREE-IN-ONE, ONE-IN-THREE
Mother Church tells us that our celebration of the Tridu-
um is the "culmination of the entire liturgical year." She
says that the Triduum is not so much three celebrations,
(Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) but one
continuous celebration with three parts to it. The unitive
nature of the three liturgies is underlined by the
omission of a concluding rite on Holy Thursday and
Good Friday. These two liturgies are "left hanging,"
so to speak, incomplete without that which follows, as
if the liturgies of Holy Thursday and Good Friday are
saying to us, "We are not done yet. To be continued…."
The Meaning
What are we celebrating in this continuous "three-in-
one and one-in-three" liturgy? We are celebrating the
Passover or passion of Jesus Christ. By dying and
rising, God's Son broke the bonds of death and was
restored to life. The connection and meaning for us is
that if we unite our lives to Christ, he will take us
through our pain and darkness and lead us into the full-
ness of God's light.
Nothing in our Church year is more important than our
celebration of the Triduum. Perhaps one reason that the
Church has not made these days holy days of obligation
is that by doing so, she would be stating the obvious. It
would be like making it obligatory for us to celebrate
Independence Day or an important anniversary. No one
should have to tell us to come to Church on these days.
If we are in touch with our Catholic Christian tradition,
we would automatically plan to be there. Now for a
brief look at each of the three moments of this one
continuous celebration.
Holy Thursday
The Triduum begins with the Evening Mass of the
Lord’s Supper. This Mass preserves several traditions
that were once common to every Eucharist—and in a
sense are ideal for every celebration—but now seem
special and different.” The Mass begins with the Taber-
nacle entirely empty for we receive Holy Communion
this evening from the bread and wine consecrated at this
Mass, not from a previous Mass. The entire community
is gathered at this one Eucharist with all the priests,
ministers and parishioners celebrating together.
The opening prayer reminds us that “we are gathered
here to share in the supper which your only Son left to
his Church to reveal his love.” The first reading
(Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14) gives the background and de-
tails for the Passover meal. The Hebrew people in Egypt
are saved by the blood of the lamb which causes the
wrath of God to “pass over” the houses marked with its
blood. The second reading (1Corinthians 11:23-26) con-
tains the earliest written account of the Lord’s Supper. “I
received from the Lord what I handed on to you, name-
ly, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was be-
trayed took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it
and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in
remembrance of me.’”
The Gospel proclaimed at this Mass of the Lord’s Sup-
per is not one of the accounts of the “institution of the
Eucharist” (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke
22:14-20). Instead, the Church presents to us John 13:1-
15: Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. And not only
do we hear about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples,
but we see and experience it. On Holy Thursday, the
Presider, following the example of Christ, will take off
his outer vestment and wash the feet of several members
of the assembly who in turn will move to various parts
of the Church and wash the feet of others.
This simple ritual reminds us that we, as followers of
Christ, are called to be people of the towel and water—
people ready to be humble servants to those in need.
After Holy Communion, we will have what is called the
Transfer of the Eucharist to a chapel of repose. Since
there is no Mass on Good Friday, we need to reserve
consecrated hosts for the Good Friday Communion
service. After the procession the altar is stripped.
Adoration Chapel. On Holy Thursday at 6:00 pm, the
Eucharist will be removed from the Chapel prior to the
celebration of the Lord's Supper at 7:00 pm. It will be
returned after the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, at mid-
night. After Holy Communion on Holy Thursday, the
consecrated hosts which will be used on Good Friday,
will be taken into Our Lady's Chapel, where there will
be adoration until midnight. At midnight, the hosts will
be taken from Our Lady's Chapel and placed on the altar
of repose.
Good Friday — Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
Good Friday is the most sober day of the entire Church
year. Sober is perhaps the key word—the liturgy is very
restrained and straightforward. The altar is bare, without
cloths, candles or cross. There is no Mass on this day.
“According to the Church’s ancient tradition, the sacra-
ments are not celebrated today or tomorrow” (Roman
Missal). It is a day of fasting. There are no greetings,
genuflections, opening songs, processions. We simply
Page 5 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
come and prostrate in humble submission before the
Word and the glorious Cross of Christ.
The Liturgy consists of three parts: Liturgy of the
Word, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion.
In the Veneration of the Cross, a large Cross is brought
forward, unveiled and presented to us. We come for-
ward to kiss or touch this instrument of torture. It is as
if we were asked to kiss a guillotine or the electric chair.
THE EASTER VIGIL
St. Gregory of Nazianzus called the Easter Vigil the
"solemnity of solemnities." St. Augustine called it the
"Mother of Vigils." In the early church, the Vigil start-
ed after sunset and continued all night until sunrise. So,
we can say our celebration of the Easter Vigil is a "mini-
celebration." The Vigil is of course, the most solemn
and important celebration of the entire Liturgical year—
more important than midnight Mass at Christmas.
The Vigil celebrates the victory of Jesus over the
darkness of Good Friday, his victory over sin and death.
The Easter Vigil has four main parts.
The Service of Light
The Easter V igil begins outdoors with the lighting and
blessing of the Easter Fire. All participants are encour-
aged to gather outside for this beautiful ritual. Our new
Paschal Candle is then lit from the Easter fire. We
process into a dark Church (symbolizing the world with-
out Christ) with the Paschal Candle, chanting "Lumen
Christi" (Light of Christ). The Service of Light
concludes with the beautiful chanting of the Exultet
which celebrates Christ's victory over death.
Liturgy of the Word
During the Liturgy, we listen to the stories of creation
and redemption. This year we will only read three of the
seven readings from the Old Testament. St. Augustine
in an Easter Vigil Sermon exhorts us:
“Watch I tell you and pray. Let us celebrate the vigil
internally and externally. Listen to God speak to us in
the readings. Let us speak to him in our prayers. If we
hear his words obediently, he to whom we pray will
dwell in us.”
Celebration of Baptism and Confirmation
This part of the Vigil is very beautiful and rich with sa-
cred ritual. The Elect (the unbaptized) are called forth
and presented to the community. They process around
the Church as the community chants the Litany of the
Saints invoking their intercession for these brothers and
sisters who are about to enter the baptismal waters. The
waters of our makeshift baptismal pool are solemnly
blessed. Then follows the Profession of Faith and
Baptism. While the elect change into their white robes,
we the already baptized are sprinkled with the newly
blessed holy water as we renew our own baptismal
promises. The neophytes (the newly baptized) will be
confirmed.
This year, we will baptize and initiate into our Catholic
Community 3 children and 12 adults. Recently, I heard
on EWTN that about 200,000 adults join the Catholic
Church each year. That is surely good news.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Easter Vigil reaches its culminating point in the
celebration of the Eucharist. Our Church tells us that
tonight’s Eucharist is the “Easter Sacrament para-
mount. It is the consummation of Christian initiation
and a foretaste of the everlasting Easter.” This is a big
moment for the elect who have been looking forward to
this moment for a long time.
I urge you with all my heart to make a special effort to
participate in our celebration of the Triduum, the high
point of our Church’s year. I encourage parents to intro-
duce your children to these beautiful celebrations. Sit
up front so that your children can see everything that is
going on and become engaged in it.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Fr. Martin and I will be available for confessions after
the Holy Thursday celebration and after the Celebration
of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and the Stations
of the Cross.
Have a prayerful Holy Week,
Page 6 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
Next Sunday’s Readings April 1, 2018 B
Easter Sunday of the
Resurrection of the Lord
Acts 10:34, 37-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17- 23-24
Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
John 20:1-9
In what ways do you need to become
more alive in your faith?
Ascension Catholic Teens Action Nights begin after 5:30pm Mass
7:00 - 8:30pm Any high school teen is welcome!
For more information, contact [email protected].
EDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY
For all 7th & 8th graders on Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm, in the Youth Room. Please make sure to fill out a reg-
istration form if you haven’t already done so. For more information, contact Cara Giuliano at
254-1595 ext. 3501 or [email protected].
Ascension Catholic Teens have secured spots for Life Teen Sum-mer Camp Hidden Lake in Dahlonega, Georgia, from Monday, July 16, to Saturday, July 21. Each week, hundreds of high school teens gather together at the different Life Teen camps throughout the country. Any teen enrolled in 9th-12th grade for the 2018/2019 school year is welcome to register. Registration info and paper-work can be found at ascensioncatholic.net. Contact Cara Giuli-ano at [email protected] for info.
HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY
Ascension Catholic School Mission Statement
Ascension Catholic School is committed to maintaining a Catholic Community of
companion on the journey toward academic excellence, global service and lifelong learning. We live this out by showing respect to all people, by being responsible for our actions, by showing reverence, and by making right choices.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Holy Thursday, March 29, 2018
7:00 PM Mass (Celebration of the Lord’s Supper)
Confessions afterwards
Good Friday, March 30, 2018
3:00 PM The Lord’s Passion 5:30 PM Living Stations of the Cross
Confessions after both services
Holy Saturday, March 31, 2018
12:00 PM Blessing of Food in Church
Easter Vigil, March 31, 2018
8:00 PM Begins with lighting of Easter fire outdoors
EASTER SUNDAY, April 1, 2018
7:30 AM Mass in the Church
9:30 AM Mass in the Church with overflow Masses in the Parish Hall
11:30 AM Mass in the Church
NO 5:30 PM SUNDAY MASS
Easter Flower Decoration Donations may be made
in honor of a deceased loved one or as a special intention for someone.
Please indicate name and specify whether for a deceased loved one or for a special intention,
and send to the Church Office or place in the collection basket. The usual donation is $25.00.
Living
Stations of the
Cross
Presented by the
Ascension Youth Ministry Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018
following the 5:30pm Mass
Good Friday, March 30, 2018
5:30pm
Page 7 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
VOCATIONS CUP
The Vocations Cup for March will go out at
the Saturday 4:30pm Mass. Charlie & Sharon
Hunton will take the Cup on March 24.
If you’d like to sign up, please contact Jim Chatman
at 321-223-8963 or [email protected].
Sisters of Strength Survivors of abuse journeying together toward healing
and holiness through God’s grace and mercy
Prayer and support group using a 12-step program format.
We meet at 7:00pm in Ministry Bldg, Rm 302. Next meeting: April 2, 2018
and every other Monday thereafter. Contact Tracey Mahoney with any questions at
475-298-6121 (call or text) or at [email protected].
Sisters of Strength will be collecting the following items during the Lenten season to aid women and chil-dren in the Serene Harbor Crisis Shelter: Old cell-phones, large diapers sizes 4,5,&6, pull-ups, baby wipes, sippy cups, baby bottles, baby bath wash, sham-poo, conditioner, feminine products, toothpaste, mouth-wash, floss, deodorant, body wash, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, Lysol disinfecting wipes, baby grooming supplies like nail clippers and nasal aspirator, soft brush, comb, backpacks and school supplies.
Collection Box will be in Our Lady’s Chapel.
Knights of Columbus 40 CANS FOR LENT CHALLENGE
Purchase and donate one can of food per day for the 40 days during Lenten, and ending Good Friday, March 30. Please bring your cans to the Church and place them in the baskets already designated for food collection. You may bring them all at once or a little at a time.
To accept this challenge, please contact Doug Blair at 321-412-2191 or [email protected].
NOTICE: Easter Sunday is April 1, that is our first
Sunday; therefore, our food drive will be postponed to
APRIL 8th WEEKEND. Please make a note to bring in
food donations.
We have one month left for the “Loaves & Fishes Chal-
lenge.” If you haven’t taken the challenge, there is still
time left. As always, thank you so much for your support
and God bless. Please make checks payable to:
Ascension Catholic Social Concerns
Write in the memo: Loaves & Fishes Challenge
Mail to: 1238 Aurora Rd., Melbourne, FL 32935
or drop in offertory basket during Mass
Social Concerns will be closed Thursday,
March 29, and Friday, March 30,
for Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
Pasta, tomato sauce, canned beans, cereal, peanut butter & jelly
“Thank you so much
to the Harbor City
Girl Scout Commu-
nity for donating
food to our pantry
that they collected at
the Girl Scout
World Thinking Day
Event.”
Social Concerns & Food Pantry
HOLY THURSDAY REMINDER
1. Bring your gifts for the poor
on Holy Thursday.
2. As in past years, all are invited
to participate in the Washing
of the Feet. So if you wish to
have your feet washed,
come prepared by wearing
easy-to-remove footwear.
GOOD FRIDAY
MORNING
PRAYER WALK
Please invite your family and friends to join you in a
very special Ecumenical Prayer Walk on Good Friday,
March 30, to give witness to our Christian faith and
show our solidarity with the poor and suffering of our
community and our world. We will start at Our Lady
of Lourdes Catholic Church, Fee & Hickory Aves., at
9:00 am. The one-and-a-half mile march will follow a
Cross with stops to pray, share Scripture and sing at
several sites in downtown Melbourne, where we
“Follow where Jesus Leads.” Walkers will return to
the starting site by 11:00 a.m. Please join us for this
Ninth Annual Walk, sponsored by a coalition of
Christian congregations.
For more information, email Betsy Glassnapp at
Page 8 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
Ascension Council of Catholic Women Scholarship
The Ascension Council of Catholic Women is offering a $300 scholarship to an active Catholic student, who is also a member of the Ascension community, and will be a graduate at the end of the 2018 school year. For an application and criteria, please call Cara Giuliano, High School Youth Director of Ascension, at 321-254-1595 ext. 3501. All applica-tions are due back by midnight, April 16, 2018.
Saturday, April 7, 2018, 11am to 2pm 200 Rialto Place, Melbourne 32901
Tickets: $35 per person For more info, call 321-537-9576.
Come help us to
“Fill the Pantry”
In June 2017, the number
of homeless students peaked
at 1,871,
the highest number
on record.
Get your tickets for the
Fashion Show today after
Mass and help us help
our Social Concerns
assist the needy.
“Fill The Pantry”
2018 Married Couples
Get-Away
Ascension's Marriage Enrichment group is hosting the annual Married Couples Get-Away, April 27-29, 2018, at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida. Join other like-minded couples for a weekend of faith-sharing and relaxation among majestic oaks and the crystal clear waters of Silver Springs. We will also be celebrating Mass together at the park. The cost is $225 per couple for 2 nights’ lodging and 6 meals. Cou-ples can share a fully-furnished two-bedroom cabin or choose among other lodging arrangements.
For more information, please contact Ken and Kathy Jagdmann at 321-259-6951 or [email protected].
or Chuck & Karen Mitchell at 321-752-3838 or [email protected].
DAILY BREAD VOLUNTEERS
Daily Bread is a local soup kitchen that serves a hot meal every day to our homeless and people in need. Ascension members are a huge part of making this happen. Daily Bread is located at 815 Fee Ave. Please consider volunteer-ing with one of our teams from 10:30am to 2:15pm on:
Fri, March 30: Contact Monika Counts at
321-480-0226 or
Joan Johnson at 321-779-1894
ATTENTION: WOMEN OF ASCENSION
Are the daily challenges becoming too great? Come expe-rience a weekend retreat at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center to recapture your peace of mind and the joys of God’s creation. You will return home relaxed and renewed, better able to cope in a busy world. Our Lady of Florida Spir-itual Center offers us time off to celebrate life, love, hope, joy, faith and fellowship. The date for the Retreat is April 13-15, 2018. We carpool. Please join us.
For more information, please call Margaret McDunnough at 321-253-3015, or email [email protected].
For applications, ask at the Parish Office. Give me a call, will pick up and send all together.
Page 9 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
ROSARY-MAKING MINISTRY
Rosary Ministry meets Sundays, 1:00-3:00 pm
in Buescher Center, Room 410
Next meeting: April 15
If interested, call Michi Davis at 242-8092.
BEREAVEMENT RECOVERY SUPPORT GROUP
The Bereavement Recovery Support Group meets on the first and third Friday of the month in the Church library from 1:30 to 3:00pm.
For more information, call Carol Gessler, group leader,
at 779-7850.
Contemplative
Prayer (Prayer of the Heart)
“Be still and know that I am
God.” (Ps 46:10)
Tuesdays at 7:00pm Ministry Bldg, Rm 304
For info, contact Pam Lackie at 259-2431.
Join us for Vacation
Bible School!
June 18th to June 22nd
Register online from March 1st to May 11th
Be sure to check our web-page for updated info! www.ascensioncatholic.net > Faith Formation >
V.B.S.
Questions? Contact Betsy at 254-1595 x 3080 or by e-mail at [email protected].
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Vacations, illness, absent snowbirds and just life take a toll on the availability of adorers. If you can find an hour to commit to Jesus, consider the Adoration Chapel. Jesus wants you there and through the Holy Spirit is calling you! For info, contact Sam Rodríquez at 795-9813 or [email protected].
Sunday 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 5pm, 7pm, 8pm,
10pm
Monday 3am, 8am, 4pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
Tuesday 2am, 3am, 4am, 8am, 6pm, 11pm
Wednesday 12am, 1am, 2am, 11am, 11pm
Thursday 12am, 1am, 3am, 4am, 1pm, 2pm, 6pm,
9pm, 11pm
Friday 12am, 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 3pm, 6pm,
10pm, 11pm
Saturday 12am, 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 6am, 7pm,
8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm
Monsignor Martin B. Power Council 14573 PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF
ASCENSION CATHOLIC CHURCH
Looking for a way to follow our Lord in what He asked all of us to do.
Charity We volunteer in many efforts to “love thy neighbor.” Unity We support our parish and community. Fraternity We work together as brothers. Patriotism We love our country.
Our activities and projects are centered on the above 4 principles
Contacts: Grand Knight Gerry Grillo @ 321-652-2266
Deputy Grand Knight Charlie Hunton @ 502-762-1731 Membership Director John Miller @ 321-794-6620
Ladies Auxiliary Supporting the Knights of Columbus
Council 14573
We invite all ladies of the parish whose husbands are current or deceased members of the Knights of Columbus to please join us for our monthly meetings on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00pm in the Ministry Building Room 313.
For membership information, please contact Kathy Ameigh at [email protected] or
Sharon Hunton at [email protected].
Page 10 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
Mon. 7:30 am † Streva Family
† Vicky Penna
Tues. 7:30 am † Joe & Helen Garlusky
† Stasia Ryan
Wed. 7:30 am † Robert I. Smith
† Thomas E. Moore, Jr
8:30 am † Vincent Armenti
† Kristen Papp
Holy Thursday - 7:00 PM
Holy Saturday - 8:00 PM - People of the Parish
Easter Sunday
Sun. 7:30 am † Bernie Krenzler
† William Yacavone
9:30 am † Helmut Scheel
† Fr. Dan Freitas
11:30 am † Fernando Palacios
† Laudelina Sanchez
No 5:30PM Mass on Easter Sunday
SERVERS’ SCHEDULE – March 31/April 1, 2018
SEE SIGNUP SHEETS IN ALTAR SERVERS’ ROOM
Week beginning Monday, March 26, 2018
and ending Sunday, April 1, 2018
Greg Grasso, Harry Wright, Fred Barlow, Betty Elko, Madeline Maiello, CVS, Natalie Carle, Claire Grasso, Mia Moore, Walker Alldredge, Caridad Mederos, Carmelia Navarretta, Peggy McKelvey, Helen Burzese, Cathi Hurd, Bill Sears, Ted Stoner, Betsy Coradine, Joan Barco,
Rose Struzinski, Midge Sauer, Kathleen Troast, Beth Mills, Linda Kohler, Mary Moore, Anthony Tynes, Loretta Allewelt, Billy Kohler, Baby Abigail Carney, Baby Zane, Betty DelBalzo, Betty Berneski, Mary Laird, Eugena Krassel, John Kelly, Jim Eisen-mann, John Ochu, Laurie Chatman, Marge Pearsall, Marilou Grimm, Jean Milmark, Terri Sills, Bob Mortimer, Paul Ripley, Gary Tam, Allison Riley, Richard Furstenburg, Maybelle McGee, Susie Schumacker, Julie Bodicker, Amanda Oudwa, John Thor-stad, Marian Sampieri, Robert Hinnant, Joan Loft, Leslie Selage, Grace Petersen, Vicky Ricca, Mitch Farrell, Margaret Farides, Rosita Alcina, Mary Ellen Ritter, Maureen Kurtz, Theo Reaves, Leo Shumaker, Alan Evans
Please pray for those in the nursing homes.
Pray for our Armed Forces Personnel overseas
Dan Murray, Joseph Marci, Bryan Outly, Anthony Torres, Joseph McDuffie, Samuel Luke, Michael Walsh, Robert Crowl, Bryan Calenda, David Barlow, Dylan Traver, Wesley Henry, Marty Martinez, Jonathan Martinez, Bryan Satterwhite, Capt. Kyle McDermott, John Kinsora, Josh Grier, Robert Grover, Rory O’Connor, Shane O’Connor, Alex Ritner, Kyle Mimbs, Kristin Agresta, Andrew Nemethy, Scott Loftin, Lance Freeberg, Theresa Mavity, Matthew Hammond, Daniel Amulong, Dr. Jerry Higman, Thomas Salmon, Margaret-Anne Sytxma, John Egan
Paul & Susanne Kurzcz 30 years Mar 25
George & Noel Downey 25 years Mar 27
Wedding Anniversaries
MILITARY MINISTRY
March is Women’s History Month If you are or know of any female veterans
who could use any type of support, please contact our ministry leader Eddy at 954-882-3687.
Our Pilgrimage to Italy is all set! Join Fr. B. K. and Deacon Sergio on a trip of a lifetime. Yes to Italy!
October 8-18, 2018. We will visit many sites of interest to include an audience with Pope Francis. We will visit the first reported Eucharistic Miracle, also the place where St. Francis of Assisi lived and the church where his remains are kept, also the place of birth of St. Padre Pio and where His Remains are kept. We will see the Crucifix that marked His body with the Wounds of Christ. A great experience for us all especially before Advent.
For more info call Deacon Sergio at 321- 253-5443
The drive ends Holy Thursday, March 29. Collection box is in Our Lady’s Chapel.
Audire: Central Florida Foundation for Spiritual Direction, Inc
Orientation Days for the Audire program are scheduled for Saturday, April 28, or Saturday, July 14, from 9am to 12:30 pm at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 5873 N. Dean Road, Orlando, FL 32817. Audire is a 3-year formation program that trains people for the ministry of spiritual direction and provides listening and companioning skills which are beneficial to many minis-tries. Orientation Days are designed for those interested in Audire to provide information and answer questions about the program. A new term begins in September. More information about Audire can be obtained at www.audirespiritualdirection.org. Registration for one of the Orientation Days can be done through the web site at www.audirespiritualdirection.org or by contacting Diane Francisco at 321-254-1876 or [email protected] .
Page 11 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD B March 25, 2018
HEALING THE WHOLE PERSON
Jesus responds today to brokenness, disease, and pain with transformative love and restoration. Through three days of teaching, worship, prayer, and testimony, you’ll encounter God in a powerful way, and experience deeper freedom as the Father speaks to you in the depths of your heart, and through the supernatural graces of the sacraments. Whether you’re struggling with life, or you just want “more” in your walk with God, this conference will em-power you with tools, revelation, and a greater desire to live your life pas-sionately on fire for God. Grounded in Church teaching, you’ll engage the topics of “Facing our Brokenness,” “Encountering the Father’s Love,” and “Living in Freedom.” Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Community is hosting a Healing the Whole Person retreat on April 12-14, led by the John Paul II Healing Center. Learn more and register for this amazing retreat at http://jpiihealingcenter.org/. Online registration closes on April 2, 2018.
The Scott Center at Holy Trinity 5625 Holy Trinity Drive, Melbourne, Fl. 32940
The Homeschoolers from Ascension
will be selling tickets following all the
Masses this weekend.
