lent communal penance services · money was no object. he had loads of friends. then the story...
TRANSCRIPT
4th Sunday of Lent March 31, 2019
Parish Office (863) 453-4757 Fax (863) 453-2620
Parish Office Hours Monday through Friday
9 AM to 2:30 PM
Pastor Fr. Nicholas McLoughlin
Assisting Clergy Fr. Leo Frechette
Fr. Gerald Grogan Retired
Deacon Dan Hoppe
Schedule of Masses
Saturday Confession
3:30 PM English 6:30 PM Spanish
Vigil Mass 4 PM English 7 PM Spanish
Sunday 8 AM and 10:30 AM
Holy Days
Vigil Mass 5:30 PM 8 & 10:30 AM Daily Mass
Monday-Friday 8 AM First Friday
Mass and Holy Hour 8 AM
Visit us on the web! www.ologap.org
Lent Communal Penance Services Wednesday, April 3, Our Lady of Grace, Avon Park, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10, St. James, Lake Placid, 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 11, St. Catherine, Sebring, 6 p.m.
Page 2 Our Lady of Grace
What Gift? Confession - The treasure of God’s friendship.
Most of you have read a book or seen a Disney movie about “Aladdin and his
wonderful lamp.” Aladdin worked in a shop that exchanged new lamps for old ones.
Aladdin’s job was to polish the lamps and make them look new. One day as he was
polishing a lamp, a genie came out of the lamp and promised to grant Aladdin
anything he wished. With the help of the genie, Aladdin gained great wealth and
won the love of a beautiful princess.
If an Aladdin like lamp was brought into church today, what three wishes would you ask for? Our
Gospel story today (Luke 15: 13 – 35) tells us about a young man who made three wishes.
What were his three wishes?
➢ He wanted his inheritance - a lot of money – now.
➢ He wanted to travel to foreign countries and see the world.
➢ He wanted to do his own thing and be his own boss.
The young man got his three wishes, but they were not granted to him by a genie out of a lamp. The
young man went to his Father, whom he knew loved him, and asked him, a very wealthy man, for
his inheritance. His request was somewhat unusual. He wanted it now. Even though the Father was
sad that his young son wanted to leave home, he gave him his share of the family fortune.
The young stud left home and travelled around the world – In the U.S. it would be to Disney world,
Universal, Magic Kingdom, Busch Gardens, etc.… And, on a spending spree on the latest style
clothes and sneakers – Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale; Nike, Adidas, Converse, etc.… He ate at
the best restaurants and drank with his friends at popular ‘hangouts.’. Money was no object. He had
loads of friends.
Then the story takes a sudden downturn. The young man ran out of money… and friends. Even
worse, there were no jobs available. Things got so bad, he took a job with a pig farmer. He had to
live in the pig pen. The only food available was the food he was feeding the pigs.
Hard knocks have a way of bringing dreamers to their senses. The pig pen reminded him of the
mess he had made of his life. He also reminded him of his father and the comfortable home he had
left behind. He said to himself, “Even a servant in my father’s house lives better than this.” The
young man continued, “I will return to my father and tell him that I am sorry for the way I treated
him and ask him to take me back, not as his son, but as one of his hired servants.”
In the interim, the Father was pining for his son’s return. He accepted him back, not as a servant,
but as his son. He called his servants and told them to get ready for a big feast and celebrate,
“because this son of mine was lost and now is found.”
Who are these people in the story?
The Father is God – such a loving merciful Father. The young son is anyone one of us who sin –
man or woman, young or old. Then, there is the self-righteous, dutiful older son who refuses to
forgive. There is something of both sons in all of us. In the Sacrament of Penance, God is the
welcoming, forgiving, merciful Father. The younger and older sons both need to be forgiven for
different reasons.
If I was Aladdin today, I would ask for one wish, the treasure of God’s friendship. We can have
that treasure by going to Confession – Wednesday, April 3, 6 p.m. OLG Lent Penance Service.
4th Sunday of Lent Page 3
Three Lenten Practices (Matthew 6: 1 – 18)
Prayer – Mt. 6: 1- 4
Fasting – Mt. 6: 5 - 15
Almsgiving – Mt. 6: 16 – 18
Prayer (Mt. 6: 5 – 15))
Daily morning Mass – 8 a.m.
Stations of the Cross – Friday, 5:00 p.m.
Personal & Family Prayer in Home
Read the Gospels, especially Luke’s Gospel
Fasting (Mt 6: 1 – 4)
Abstain from meat on Friday
(those 14 and older)
Modest Rice Bowl Meal once-a-week
(Place savings from meal in Rice Bowl)
Place daily limits on use of technology and
Television
Almsgiving (Mt 6: 16 – 18)
Support the Church Service Center
Support Meals on Wheels for elderly home
bound people.
Support the 2019 Catholic Faith Appeal
Support Operation Rice Bowl
(place Savings from meal in Rice Bowl)
Stations of the Cross, Friday, 5:00 p.m.
The Stations of the Cross is a uniquely
Lent Prayer devotion. It begins with the
trial and condemnation of Jesus by
Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, and
continues Jesus’ sorrowful journey to
Calvary and to his Crucifixion.
K of C Fish Bake – Friday, 5:30 p.m.
The Knights of Columbus provides a 3
course Fish Bake, consisting of Salad,
entre, desert and drinks, in the Grogan
Center on Friday at 5: 30 – 7:00 p.m. All
are welcome.
OLG High school Graduates Scholarship
applications available in parish office & online
2019 High School Graduates Scholarship
applications are available online and in the
Parish Office. They must be returned with
IRS Returns, High School Grade transcript &
completed application form before April 1.
Page 4 Our Lady of Grace
Parish Scholarship golf tournament a success –
‘Thank you” Dennis Kellner, Terry O’Leary
and team of volunteers.
OLG High school Graduates Scholarship
applications available in parish office & online 2019 High School Graduates Scholarship
applications are available online and in the
Parish Office. They must be returned with
IRS Returns, High School Grade transcript &
completed application form before April 1.
Warming up’ with friends before playing in
the Parish Scholarship Golf Tournament at
Pinecrest Golf Course on March 2, 2019.
Tim & Matt Devlin, Cruiser & Terry Hancock
Good turn-out for OLG Scholarship Tournament
A good turn-out of ladies at Parish Tournament
Participants enjoying lunch after tournament
4th Sunday of Lent Page 5
First Friday Mass & Exposition – April 5th, 2019
Friday of this week, April 5th, is the
first Friday of the month. The 8 a.m.
Mass will be followed by Exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament, which will
conclude with Benediction at 9 a.m.
For those who make the First Fridays,
Jesus made what St. Margaret Mary
Alocoque (1649 – 1690) referred to as
the “Great Promise” which was the last
and greatest of the Twelve Promises of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus .
“I promise you in the unfathomable
mercy of my heart that my omnipotent
love will procure the grace of final
penitence for all those who receive
communion on nine successive first
Fridays of the month; they will not die
in my disfavor [the grace of final
repentance], or without having received
the sacraments, since my divine heart
will be their sure refuge in the last
moments of their life.”
1st Saturday Mass & Confession – April 6, 2019 Saturday of this week, April 6, is the
first Saturday of the month. The 8 a.m.
Mass will be followed by Confessions at
8:30 a.m.
The intention at the First Saturday 8
a.m. Mass is for deceased benefactors
of Our Lady of Grace Parish . They
include: Sarah McDonald, Frances &
Audrey Peffer, Orlando Nardone, Maria
Guerrero, Mary Litwinski, Norma
George, Fred Bruno, Loumella Faust,
Paul Brazinski, Donald McCormack,
Lester Reinbolt, John Lacenski, Mary
Ann Bland, William & MaryAnn
Patterson, Mrs. Lane.
The practice of the First Saturday
devotion was requested by Our Lady of
Fatima, who appeared to three shepherd
children in Fatima, Portugal, multiple
times starting in 1917. She said to
times starting in 1917. She said to Lucia,
the oldest of the three children:
“I shall come to ask . . . that on the First
Saturday of every month, Communions
of reparation be made in atonement for
the sins of the world.”
Years later she repeated her request to
Sr. Lucia, the only one still living of the
three young Fatima seers, while she was
a postulant sister living in a convent in
Spain:
“Look, my daughter, at my Heart,
surrounded with thorns with which
ungrateful men pierce me at very
moment by their blasphemies and
ingratitude. You at least try to console
me, and say that I promise to assist at the
hour of death, with the graces necessary
for salvation, all those who, on the first
Saturday of five consecutive months,
shall confess, receive Holy
Communion, recite five decades of the
rosary, and keep me company for 15
minutes while meditating on the 15
mysteries of the rosary, with the
intention of making reparation to me.”
Church Service Center collection next weekend We invite you to bring non-perishable food
to Church at all masses next weekend, April
6/7.
The Church Service Center (CSC) is an
interchurch collaborative effort which cares
for 500 families every month, representing
approximately 1,200 poor people in Avon
Park. We will also take a 2nd collection
after communion to assist those who come
to the CSC for help with rent & mortgage
payments and with water and electric bills.
Thank you.
Page 6 Our Lady of Grace
MASS INTENTIONS
SATURDAY MARCH 30
4:00 pm + Bertha Peritoti by Bob & Phyllis Miller.
7:00 PM Family Garcia & Madrigal by Maria
Ramirez.
SUNDAY MARCH 31 8:00 am + George Tomek by Ann Hartsfield.
10:30 am + Carrie Colangelo by Paul & Justine
Devlin.
+ Pierre Seguin by His Sister Margo.
MONDAY April 1 8:00 am Special Intention for Macky Boone by
Kissane Family.
TUESDAY April 2
8:00 am + Sam Viviano by Paul & Justine Devlin.
WED April 3
8:00 am + Betty Minielli by Linda Beman.
THURSDAY April 4
8:00 am + Joan & Tim Roche by Neal Roche.
FRIDAY APRIL 5
8:00 am + Nancy Wiley by Merritt Wiley.
+ Glen & Florence Kegler by Glen Kegler.
SATURDAY APRIL 6
8:00 am Benefactors of the Parish
Sarah McDonald, Frances & Audrey
Peffer, Orlando Nardone, Maria Guerrero,
Mary Litwinski, Norma George, Fred
Bruno, Loumella Faust, Paul Brazinski,
Donald McCormack, Lester Reinbolt,
John Lacenski, William & MaryAnn
Patterson, Mary Ann Bland, Mrs Lane.
4:00 pm + Glen Hartsfield by Ann Hartsfield.
+ Sister Johanna Monticello by Mary
Powell.
SUNDAY APRIL 7
8:00 am + George Halkyer by Ron Smith.
10:30 am + Joan & +Timothy Roche by Neal Roche.
FOR THE SICK OF THE PARISH Claudette Laverriere John Minadeo Jade Jackson Rosa Arosemena Gregory Syfert J.R. Lejeune
Zulmira DaSilva Bruno Litwinski Gerald Martin Jean Simmons Ray Stebbins Andres Clavijo
Debra Kemmett Liza Roy And for those who care for the sick, for the deceased member’s and benefactors of the parish, and for our loved ones.
Te Invitamos
Retiro Cuaresmal
“ Crecmiento en el Espiritu”
Sabado Abril 6, 2019
10:00 am – 6:00 pm.
7:00 pm Eucaristia
Para mas Informacion – Teresa Torres 863-449-1584
Or Hermelinda Perez 863-449-1584
Cursillo Ministry Our Faith Based Movement Ministry (English)
Expression would like to call those who have
made the weekend “CURSILLISTA’S” interested
in forming an “ULTREA” to please call Leah
Grecko – Chairperson. For Cursillo Movement
(863) 314-9754. Make a friend, be a friend, bring
a friend to Christ.
De Colores.
Thank You Knights of Columbus Council #14717 would like to thank all parishioners who contributed to this Tootsie Roll Drive. $801.00 was donated to Ridge-ARC.
Staff
& Ministries
Administrative Assistant Betty Heiring
Religious Education Judy Nugent Angie Heiring
[email protected] (863) 453-7537
Music Gene Ryan
Associate Youth Director
Angie Heiring (863) 453-7537
Prayer Group Kevin Murphy
Women’s Guild Debbie Augusta -
President (863) 385-8872
Respect Life Dick & Marie Carlson
(863) 471-2134
Parish Council
President Judy Pounds
Vice President Piedad Sarmiento-Noriega
Secretary Judy Nugent
Members Debbie Augusta Maureen Cool
Darlyne Devany Jim McGann Karen Hecker Tina Starling
Teresa Torres
(Saint) Pope John Paul II with Bono of U-2, wearing Bono’s shades .
Pope John Paul II liked contemporary music and met with some of
the kings of Rock music in the Vatican, singers like Bono of U -2.
Some of the kings of heavy metal, reggae, hip-hop, Rap and Rock
have used Gospel themes such as Lloyd Webber in Jesus Christ
Superstar, which is loosely based on the four Gospels; Stephen
Swartz in Godspell (an archaic name for Gospel), which is based on
the parables in Matthew’s Gospel.
There is a fascination in all genres of popular contemporary music
with the parable in today’s Gospel, the parable of the Prodigal Son.
The rock group Rolling Stones has a hit song Prodigal Son in its
1968 album entitled Beggar’s Meal.
Prodigal Blues is a song by Billy Idol in the 1980’s that compares
the singer’s struggle with drug addiction to the parable, and the
popular rock musical Godspel re-enacts the parable of the Prodigal
Son.
Bono, the vocalist for U-2 band, wrote the song The First Time
based on the parable. The parable is about a young person,
experimenting, searching… and, ultimately, homecoming.
Here is the final verse of the Irish folk song “Wild Rover” which
gives voice to the sentiments of the young Prodigal Son as he
returned home to a warm welcome to his Father’s House:
“I'll go home to me parents, confess what I've done,
and I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive me as oft times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more.”
Lent Communal Penance Service Wednesday, April 3, 6 p.m. in Church
10 – 12 priests available for Confessions in English, Spanish & French.