ST. BRIDE THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO

Parish Office: 773-731-8822Church Hall: 773-734-9125 Fax: 773-721-0673 Email: stbride@archchicago.org

Our Parish Staff Reverend Robert J. Roll, Pastor

Ms. Laura L. Zbella, Administrative Manager

Mr. Terry Rose, Youth Minister Mr. Tommy Slay, Facilities Manager

Liturgy ScheduleSunday at 10 AM

Monday thru Friday as scheduled 8 AM in the House Chapel

The Sacrament of ReconciliationBefore Mass and anytime by appointment!

The Sacrament of the Sick Please make arrangements with

the Parish House to have the Sacraments brought to the sick and homebound.

The Anointing of the Sick should take place early in any

illness and as often as necessary. Please note: Hospitals are not allowed,

by law, to contact the parish. Please have someone contact

the Parish House for a hospital visit.New Parishioners

Please consider registering after Mass at the Activity Table in the Church or call the

Parish House at your convenience!Welcome Visitors to St. Bride

We are honored to have you with us!Please be sure to sign our guest book.

WWW.ST-BRIDE.ORG Founded 1893 7811 SOUTH COLES AVENUE – CHICAGO, IL 60649

MASSES THIS WEEKDaily Mass is celebrated at 8 AM

In the Parish House Chapel as scheduled

February 18, 2018The First Sunday of Lent 2018

For the Intention of Adam and Frances Plaza, Edward Bryk, Gloria

Tepavchevich, Paul and Joan Woszczynski; and the Sisters of the

ResurrectionMonday: Lenten Weekday

Presidents’ DayTuesday: Lenten WeekdayWednesday: St. Peter DamianThursday: Chair of St. Peter the Apostle

Washington’s BirthdayFriday: St. Polycarp

Stations at NoonAbstinence from meat!

Saturday: Lenten WeekdayFebruary 25, 2018

The Second Sunday of Lent 2018For the Intention of the Wilczak

Family and for Ron Durbin; and the Sisters of the Resurrection

Mass Intentions Available - If you have a special anniversary or family member or celebration that you want to remember at Mass, now is the time to arrange to reserve that date. Please be sure to include your intention as well as your phone number when submitting the request. The traditional stipend per Mass is ten dollars. Support Our Food Pantry -The St. Bride Food Pantry is open. We will welcome your donations of NON-PERISHABLE food items to stock our shelves. Please bring them to Church each week or to the Hall during the week. You can also place your donations on the back porch of the Rectory. Thank you!

Electronic Giving for Weekly Offerings - Since we have started Give Central, more than $19,000.00 has been contributed through this electronic means of giving! It is an excellent way of scheduling your offerings to St. Bride, as well as a way of marking special events. Click on the “Donate Now” button on our web site at www.st-bride.org.

Pray for Peace in our World, City and Neighborhood

READINGS FOR THE WEEKMonday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8-10, 15;

Mt 25:31-46Tuesday: Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16-19; Mt 6:7-15Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19;

Lk 11:29-32Thursday: 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-3a, 4-6; Mt 16:13-19Friday: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26Saturday: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8;

Mt 5:43-48Sunday: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 116:10,

15-19; Rom 8:31b-34; Mk 9:2-10

MICKEY’S MINUTE“By an angel we mean any person or event that has changed the whole course of our life, influenced our behavior, made us turn right when we were about to turn left, and

in general made us a better person” Venerable Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

February 18th – Stations of the Cross after Mass

Stations of the Cross on Fridays at Noon

February 23rd, March 2nd, March 9th

March 16th and March 23rd March 11th – St. Joseph and

St. Patrick LuncheonMarch 18th – Sacrament of

Reconciliation before and after Mass

March 25th – Palm SundayHamilton Tickets Raffle

DrawingMarch 29th – Holy Thursday – Mass at

5 PM

March 30th – Good Friday - Liturgy at 3 PM March 31st – Holy Saturday

Vigil and Mass at 7 PMApril 1, 2017 – EASTER SUNDAY

Spring Luncheon 2018May 20, 2018

St. Bride – Chicago February 18, 2018PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT

If there is one word that stands out in today’s readings, it is “covenant.” God’s faithfulness and goodness serve as examples to us of how to live. Genesis tells the story of Noah and of God’s covenant not only with all people, but with all of nature. Never will the cleansing waters of the flood bring their destructive power to all the earth again. The sign, the reminder to both God and nature, is the rainbow in the heavens.

The psalm reminds us of this compassion of God, and begs God to remember us, not because of our goodness, but because of God’s goodness and fidelity to the promise. God shows us how to be good, not by decree, but by example.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITIONThe Holy Father usually marks the solemn opening of the Lenten fast with a procession and

Mass on Ash Wednesday evening. He walks from the Benedictine monastery, San Anselmo, down the Aventine hill to the Dominican monastery of Santa Sabina. This very old tradition was revived by Pope John XXIII in the late 1950s. Have you ever wondered who gives the pope his ashes? It’s the cardinal who has been given the “title” of the church of Santa Sabina. The pope’s homily at this Mass states his theme for Lent.

Santa Sabina dates from the fifth century, and is one of the most beautiful churches in Rome. One of the panels on its main doors features the Crucifixion, a scene not normally depicted in art until much later. In the year 1219 the pope gave the church to Saint Dominic for his new religious order, the “Order of Preachers,” commonly called the Dominicans, and it remains their world headquarters to this day. That pope, Honorius III, was a member of the Savelli family, and this church was their personal family chapel. Sabina was a wealthy Roman lady who became a Christian and was martyred, and whose home became a place of prayer. Later, the church built on that spot was dedicated to her memory.

First Sunday of Lent - Clear Conscience: Usually, the first reading has something in common with the gospel. Today's however, has more in common with the second reading from St. Peter. They both talk about Noah and the ark, where the few good people were saved by going through the water. Peter compares that to the waters of Baptism, in which we are saved by God. He also has an interesting image of Jesus "preaching to the spirits in prison." It refers to the fallen angels whose disobedience lead the rest of the population to turn away from God. Just as God washed away the evil of the world in the waters of the flood, so the waters of Baptism made us into a new people who have clear consciences, both because God has forgiven our sins and because we promise to follow only Him.

That leads to the Gospel, where Jesus is tempted by Satan. But unlike the people of Noah's time, Jesus does not fall to the temptations. Instead, he comes out of the desert, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is near. He tells us to repent and believe in the good news. That means we have a choice to make: Do we accept this kingdom and repent, or do we ignore our baptism and do what we want? We may say that we are willing to repent, but do we do anything about it? Do we still have a clear conscience when we think of how much time we spend getting to know Jesus? Ever pray or read the bible outside of church? Do we spend near as much on the poor, as we do for movies, hobbies, video games, or drinks? Do we ever tell anyone about the kingdom and what Jesus has done for us?Next time you see a rainbow, think about the covenant that God made with Noah. Just as God's promises get better and better till the coming of Jesus, we are challenged to be more and more like Him. Are you satisfied with just a promise that God won't destroy us all in a flood? Or are you ready to live the New Covenant that Jesus promises to those who will follow him?