ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI, DERWOOD

March 6 - March 12

Monday, 3/6 9:00 a.m. Andrew Rindos, Jr. Tuesday, 3/7 9:00 a.m. Wayne Englewood Wednesday, 3/8 9:00 a.m. Deceased Members Henke Family 7:30 p.m. Wayne Englewood Thursday, 3/9 9:00 a.m. William O’Connor Friday, 3/10 9:00 a.m. Sue Yesko Saturday, 3/11 9:00 a.m. Fr. Don Worch 5:00 p.m. Betty Towey (L) Sunday, 3/12 8:00 a.m. Homebound Parishioners (L) 9:30 a.m. Sylvia Zinardi (L) 11:15 a.m. Paul Lea 1:00 p.m. Debra & Christopher Cota 5:00 p.m. Pro populo

Scripture Corner

TEMPTATIONS

Temptations are part of the life of every human being. As followers of Jesus, we believe that he had a human nature. It is not surprising, therefore, to see that temptations are part of the life of our Lord. During his public ministry Christ says “that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21) Peter tempts Christ to give up a life of suffering. The response of Jesus is very strong. “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.” (Matthew 16:23) Even at Calvary some passing by said, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God and come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:40) Jesus resists this temptation also, following the will of his Father. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many [all].” (Mark 10:45) The best-known temptations of Jesus are found in today’s Gospel (Matthew 4:1-11) It is a confrontation between Christ and Satan. The devil heard the words of the Father at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17) In the first temptation the devil suggests that if he is the Son of God, he should satisfy his hunger by the miracle of changing stones into loaves of bread. Here, as in all three temptations, Christ uses Scripture. He says, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) In the second temptation Satan tempts our Lord to cast himself off the parapet of the temple. Satan quotes Scripture, “He (God) will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12) This is a misinterpretation of the Scripture text, which is concerned with normal providence, not rash acts. So Christ rejects this temptation by saying, “You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test.” (Deuteronomy 6:16)) The third temptation is the most incredible. The devil

wants Jesus to bow down and worship him. Christ’s answer is quick and effective. “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and

him alone shall you serve.” (Deuteronomy 6:13) ‘”Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to

him.” (Matthew 4:11)

~ Fr. Ralph

Please pray for the sick….Ben Spotts, Jim Sculley, Jackie Roe-buck Kinig, Tony Chite, Deacon Wil Pinder, Bob Coyne, Jeni Stepanek, Robert Dax. (Names will remain on this list for four consecutive weeks, but can be repeated by calling the Office.)

Readings for the Week of March 5, 2017 Sunday: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7/Ps 51:3-6, 12-13, 17/ Rom 5:12-19/Mt 4:1-11 Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Ps 19:8-10, 15/Mt 25:31-46 Tuesday: Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-7, 16-19/Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19/ Lk 11:29-32 Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Ps 138:1-3, 7-8/ Mt 7:7-12 Friday: Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-8/Mt 5:20-26 Saturday: Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8/Mt 5:43-48 Next Sunday: Gn 12:1-4/Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22/2 Tm 1:8b-10/ Mt 17:1-9

HEALING MASS OFFERS THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 9:00 A.M. MASS St. Francis of Assisi Church

The church believes in the life-giving and healing presence of Christ especially in the sacraments. The sacrament of the Anoint-ing of the Sick is an opportunity to receive grace and absolution of sins. It is fitting for the elderly or those facing a serious illness or surgery to receive this sacrament. Persons may receive this sacrament more than once. If you aren't sure if it would be ap-propriate for you or your loved one to be anointed consult with Father John or our SFA deacons.

+ In Memoriam Aeternam + In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of Hagos Woldegiorgis, mother of Reverend Tesfaymariam Baraki.

First Sunday in Lent

THE MUSINGS OF THE PASTOR

A few weeks ago now on President’s Day (February 15) sever-al hundred Catholics from throughout the state of Maryland gathered to meet with our state legislators to put forward the Church’s position on several key legislative issues being con-sidered by the Maryland General Assembly. Let me present here what the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) staffers consider the most pressing issues during the current session. I am relying on the summary of the issues written by Richard Szczepanowski in the February 23 issue of the Catholic Stand-ard:

• Physician-assisted suicide. We have reported in the bulletin that the General Assembly might consider legislation to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Well, now it is a fact that our state legislators are do-ing just that. The bill is called The End-of-Life Op-tion Act (HB 370). HB 370 will be heard in the Judici-ary Proceedings Committee in the Maryland State Senate on March 7. I encourage you to visit http://stopassistedsuicidemd.org/ to stay up to date on this very important issue. I want to encourage you to urge our lawmakers to reject a proposal allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of pills to terminally ill pa-tients.

• The BOOST Scholarship Program. MCC supports the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Stu-dents Today (BOOST) program that provides scholar-ship assistance for students from low-income families who attend a nonpublic school. Gov. Larry Hogan has proposed increasing funding for the program to $7 million.

• The Healthy Working Families Act. We as Catho-lics are encouraged to voice our support for the pro-posal that allows all workers to earn paid sick days. The MCC said the measure supports the dignity of work and shows a priority concern for the poor and vulnerable.

• The “Trust” Act. The Maryland Law Enforcement Government Trust Act would clarify and define when state and local law enforcement would take part in federal immigration enforcement activities. The act would protect immigrants from being stopped, arrest-ed, searched, or detained solely for determining whether or not an immigration violation exists. The MCC supports the measure because “it works to re-store trust within the immigrant community and to help individuals feel comfortable enough to reach out to local and state law enforcement for help or to report a crime.”

In reflecting on the gathering in Annapolis, Archbishop Wil-liam Lori of Baltimore noted that the Church’s stance on issues

“is neither conservative nor liberal, nor is it Democrat or Re-publican.” He also noted that “Political discourse—as we have

seen—has gotten pretty raw, pretty divisive and pretty unpro-ductive.” He also expressed the hope that the Catholic Church

would foster a common dialogue where we would bring to the public forum a consistent message of human dignity.

Continued in the column to the left….

THE MUSINGS OF THE PASTOR (continued)

Archbishop Lori’s remarks echo what the Catholic Bishops of the United States wrote in paragraph 91 of “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” which was approved by the US Catholic Bishops in their November 2015 General Meeting:

As Catholics, we are led to raise questions for political life other than those that concentrate on individual, ma-

terial well-being. Our focus is not on party affiliation, ideology, economics, or even competence and capacity

to perform duties, as important as such duties are. Ra-ther, we focus on what protects or threatens the dignity

of every human life.

Those interested in receiving updates on the four issues men-tioned above can sign up for the Catholic Advocacy Network, which can be found at www.mdcatholic.org/JoinCAN.

Until next week, Fr. John Dillon Pastor

LENTEN SCHEDULE

Daily Mass: Mon thru Sat 9:00 a.m. Wed 7:30 p.m. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena follows Wednesday Evening Mass

Lenten Evening Prayer Friday Evenings 6:40 p.m. Stations of the Cross Friday Evenings 7:00 p.m.

LENTEN REGULATIONS

Fasting: Ages 18-59 fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, limiting themselves to one full meal.

Abstinence: Catholics age 14 and older abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent.

On Wednesday eve- nings, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., visit St. Francis and experience the simple generosity of God’s love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To find Con-fession times at other parishes and for additional resources visit www.TheLightisON.org.

WELCOME to the Family of Christ! The following individuals and their families recently joined our St. Francis faith community during the month of February: Marie & Cinette Alexandre Teresa Ilao

The following children were baptized during the month of February: Nikko Anton Ilao Louisa Maria Palmeiro Katherine Elizabeth Praskievicz Marley-Rain Saraffin Wooten

March 5, 2017

POOR BOX DONATION – The donations for next weekend will go to the Shady Grove Pregnancy Center. Thank you for your generosity.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PRAYER CHAIN If you have a prayer request, please contact Marianne Bullen, (301) 963-3420 or mariannebu@comcast.net with your requests.

ROSARY FOR PRIESTS Every Wednesday evening at 6:45 p.m. we pray the rosary for our priests before the 7:30 p.m. Mass.

ROSARY CENACLE OF OUR LADY, QUEEN OF PEACE Cenacle of Our Lady, Queen of Peace to pray for priests and vo-cations, 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the St. Clare’s Chapel (Rectory) every Sunday. Please join us.

HOLY HOUR FOR THE DYING On Thursday evenings in the St. Clare Chapel in the Rectory a prayer group meets at 7:00 p.m. to pray for the dying. This is a Holy Hour Devotion for the Dying. As a central work of our Catholic faith, we are called to pray for the dying, especially for those who may die suddenly, unprepared to face God. For addi-tional information, please call the Parish Office, (301) 840-1407.

LAMB OF GOD PRAYER MEETING Join the Lamb of God Prayer Group for worship and the study of Scripture on Tuesday, March 7, 7:30 p.m., St. Clare’s Chapel in the Rectory. For details, please call Louise, (301) 977-5217.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS - COUNCIL 2323 The Knights of Columbus are actively pursuing new members. Our council incorporates members from St. Francis, St. Mary's and St. Martin's. Though best known for our many charitable pro-jects, we also have a lot of fun with dinners, fund raisers, family nights and many other fraternal social occasions. If interested in learning more, please contact Gary Palmer, (301) 412-1237 or e-mail gtdbpalmer@verizon.net.

Small Group Participants Need Your Prayers This Lent As the more than 75 parishioners who joined Rediscover Jesus Small Groups meet this week, they are encouraged to read, reflect and pray for greater insight into their journey as Catholics. Partic-ipants are reflecting on daily meditations for each of the 40 days of Lent and are coming together with their fellow parishioners to discuss their insights, observations and experiences. Please pray for the Rediscover Jesus Small Group members this Lent!

Save the Date for the Lenten Parish Mission On March 24 and 25, Dr. Ralph Martin will offer some needed guidance to some of our contemporary spiritual ailments during this year’s Lenten Parish Mission. His topic, “Living as a Catho-lic During Challenging Times,” will cover a wide variety of top-ics, beginning with “The Times We Live In” on Friday night and continuing with, “Called to Be Witnesses: The Mission of Catho-lic Lay People,” and “Called to Holiness: Me Be a Saint” on Sat-urday morning. Please don’t miss this compelling series, which will offer you a fresh perspective on being Catholic and provide some insight into modern challenges Catholics face each day.

BUILD UP OUR CHURCH

SUNDAY MARCH 12 SET YOUR CLOCKS ONE HOUR AHEAD

QUESTION OF THE WEEK In what area of my life have I not trusted God’s providential care for me? How can I change that this Lent, even while mak-ing myself a living sign for someone else of God’s care?

RCIA The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion will take place today at 3:00 at the Shrine of the Immaculate Con-ception. The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion is a significant moment in the initiation process of the catechu-mens and candidates. This rite signifies God’s choice of the cate-chumens and their response to His call. After this rite the cate-chumens will be called “the elect”. The St. Francis of Assisi community, represented by the godparents and sponsors, will give witness to God’s election of the catechumens and recognition of the candidates. Please, pray for our catechumens, Brandon Cao, Nala Ton, Giselle Hernandez, Emily Hernandez, Kimberly Her-nandez, Jacob Hernandez, Eric Moss and our candidates, Karla Capellan, Juan Veloz, Robert Blankenbaker and Jamie Popernack as they move from the Rite of Election into the final period of preparation for initiation at the Easter Vigil. The Penitential Rite will be celebrated at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on March 12th. The Penitential Rite is celebrated for the RCIA candidates (those who are already baptized). It serves to mark the Lenten purification of the candidates who are preparing to receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Along with the candidates, the sponsors and the St. Francis community, also, participate in the celebration of the penitential rite. All par-ticipants, in their own different ways, will hear the comforting message of pardon for sin, for which we will praise the Father’s mercy. The Scrutinies will be celebrated Sunday, March 19th at the 1:00 p.m. Mass, Sunday, March 26th at the 11:15 Mass, and Sunday, April 2nd at the 5:00 Mass. The scrutinies are rites of self-searching and repentance for the elect (those who are not baptized) who are seeking initiation into the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil. They are meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak or sinful in the hearts of the elect; and to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong and good. During our Lenten journey, we should use the penitential rite of the candidates and the scrutinies of the elect to prepare ourselves for Easter.

ST. FRANCIS YOUTH MINISTRY Upcoming Events

FRED MARCH - High School 5 FRED—The Drive of Your Life 11 Confirmation Retreat 11/12 Youth Bake Sale 12 FRED 16 Service @ Our Lord’s Table 19 FRED 24-25 Parish Mission 31-4/1 FRED Food Fast for CRS

FRED JR. MARCH - Middle School 11 Confirmation Retreat 11/12 Youth Bake Sale 16 Service @ Our Lord’s Table 19 24-25 Parish Mission 31-4/1 FRED Food Fast for CRS

GET SOCIAL *Instagram “SFASusie”

*FRED group on FACEBOOK: friend “Susan FRED Lea” *”St. Francs of Assisi Catholic Church” page on Facebook

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS/EVENTS YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS/EVENTS

REMINDER TO GRADE 3-8 CATECHISTS Catechists teaching grade 3-8 Religious Education classes are asked to attend a planning meeting today, Sunday, March 5, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in Room 6 of the Parish Center.

FIRST EUCHARIST PARENT MEETING A reminder to families of children preparing to celebrate First Eucharist this year: the next First Eucharist Parent Meetings will be held on Wednesday, March 8 or Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. Parents are asked to attend one of these meetings. If you have questions, please call the Religious Educa-tion Office, 301-258-9193.

CONFIRMATION RETREAT: SATURDAY, MARCH 11 Confirmation Candidates are reminded that our Confirmation Retreat will be on Saturday, March 11, beginning in the Parish Center at 10:00 a.m. and concluding with 5:00 p.m. Mass. Parents are asked to attend the 5:00 p.m. Mass with the Confirmation Candidates.

CATECHESIS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Our parish offers monthly catechetical sessions specifically de-signed for children and youth with special needs and their fami-lies. Our next session is Sunday, March 12 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the St. Clare Room. If you would like to learn more about these sessions, or if you are interested in serving as a catechist or aide for children with special needs, please call Susan Anderson, Director of Religious Education, at 301-258-9193.

CATECHISTS AND AIDES NEEDED Additional volunteers are welcome! Please consider whether you can serve as a catechist or classroom aide for our children and young people. We especially need catechists for the 6th grade on Monday and Tuesday evenings, from 6:45-8:00 p.m.. If you would like to learn more about this important ministry, please contact Susan Anderson, Director of Religious Education, at 301-258-9193.

SAVE THE DATE FOR VACATION BIBLE CAMP! St. Francis of Assisi Church invites children from age 4 to those who will complete the 5th Grade in June 2017 to join us at Vaca-tion Bible Camp, June 26-30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.. Look for camper registration information, as well as information about volunteer opportunities for adults and teens, later this spring!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SNOW CANCELLATION POLICY

If Montgomery County Public Schools are closed, and if schools are dismissed early, Religious Education classes, including FRED, are also cancelled. This applies to Sunday classes as well if Montgomery County Public Schools announces cancellation of weekend school activities.

Cancellation announcements will be recorded on the Religious Education Office phone (301-258-9193) and posted on the St. Francis Parish Facebook page (“St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church”).

Whenever in doubt, please use your own judgment about local weather and driving conditions, and err on the side of safety when making decisions about bringing your child to class.

ENCOUNTER INNOVATION We encounter the Singh family in India, where a mother and fa-ther are using innovative farming techniques to feed their family amidst a flood. How is God inviting us to think outside the box in service to others this Lent? Visit crsricebowl.org for more. Please plan to turn in your CRS Rice Bowl to Religious Educa-tion Classes or to the Church Gathering Space no later than

APRIL 9.

LENTEN FOOD DRIVE Hunger is an ever-present reality in our community. Local food pantries are experiencing a great demand for food. To help re-plenish supplies, Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Washington together are sponsoring the Lenten Food Drive. Bags for your donations will be provided, if you wish to use them, the weekend of March 11 - 12. Our parish collection for the food drive will take place the following weekend on March 18 - 19. When you come to Mass that weekend, please leave your dona-tion in the marked area, off to the side in the Gathering Space. Our collection will be donated to the St. Martin's Food Pantry, in Gaithersburg. Please be generous with your contribution. If you wish, you may make a contribution to "Catholic Charities" with a note that it is for the food drive. Thank you for all you do to help those in need among us.

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING Please stop by the St. Clare Room after Mass next weekend to have your blood pressure checked. (Saturday, 5:00 p.m., Sunday, 8:00, 9:30, 11:15 a.m. Masses)

PAX CHRISTI PEACE QUOTE

I have come more and more to realize that being unwanted is the worst disease that any human being can every experience. ~ St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

SIGN A PETITION OPPOSING PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE (PAS)

The debate in Maryland over the physician-assisted suicide legis-lation (HB 370 and SB 354) is more intense this year than ever before. Although the bill has died in the previous two years, this year won't be as easy. With only a little more time to go, please consider telling your state legislators to say NO to PAS. Mary-land Against Physician-Assisted Suicide, a very responsible or-ganization working in coalition with the Maryland Catholic Con-ference, is asking Marylanders to show our Delegates and Sena-tors that many residents oppose this dangerous and unnecessary legislation. Please visit the online petition and sign: http://stopassistedsuicidemd.org/sign-our-petition/ Your help does make a difference. Thank you.

FOR UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY ALUMNI - Please join current students, the “Catholic Retrievers” Campus Ministry, in celebrating the spring semester Alumni Mass and dinner on Sunday March 12 at 5:00 p.m. in the Harbor Multipurpose Room on UMBC’s campus. Come and experience the spirit of current students, share your experiences of faith and life after college, and learn how you can help the Faith to grow on campus. RSVP on Facebook by search-ing for “UMBC Catholic Alumni” or by contacting Hannah Jones ‘15 at umbccatholicalumni@gmail.com or Deacon Doug Lovejoy at lovejoy.doug@gmail.com or 609 314-1905. Don’t forget to check out www.catholicretrievers.com/alumni to sign up for our mailing list!

LENTEN MISSION WITH FR. HUGH GILLESPIE, SMM Marian Montfort Consecration and Visit of the International Pil-grim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima at St. John Neumann Church, Gaithersburg, March 23-25, 2017. Talks will be in Eng-lish and Spanish starting on March 23. For information, please call 301-926-7014 or email: vhschneider1@aol.com

IMMIGRATION CONSULTATION CLINIC On Sunday, March 12 starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Camilla Hall on the campus of St. Camillus Parish (1600 St. Camillus Drive, Sil-ver Spring), Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington will hold an Immigration Consultation Clinic. With the help of volunteer translators and attorneys, members of the vulnerable, immigrant community will have a chance to receive a legal screening to determine if he or she is eligible for some form of immigration relief. Those who learn that they qualify for immi-gration relief will then be given a resource list of local non-profits and a link to find an immigration attorney through the American Immigration Lawyer's Association. This clinic is free and provid-ed by the DMV Immigration Alliance (A coalition of non-profit organizations, area law schools and law firms)

JOB OPENINGS @ ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON Interested in using your professional experience and education to serve the Church? The Central Pastoral Administration of the Archdiocese of Washington is accepting applications for positions in human resources, catechesis, support staff and other areas. For a current list of job openings please go to http://adw.org/

employment-opportunities/. For current job openings at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington please go to https://re11.ultipro.com/ARC1012B/JobBoard/ListJobs.aspx

MARYLAND MARCH FOR LIFE On Monday, March 13, join pro-life Marylanders in Annapolis for the annual Maryland March for Life, a powerful public wit-ness to our state legislators of our commitment to building a cul-ture of life. The special keynote speaker will be Dr. Alveda King, Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth are invited to attend a Youth Rally at 4:30 p.m. Mass, celebrated by Bishop Mario Dorsonville, and a simul-taneous non-denominational service will begin at 5:15 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church and School (109 Duke of Gloucester St. in An-napolis) and will be followed by the March through Annapolis, a rally at Lawyer’s Mall, and a mixer (fellowship, exhibitors, and free Chick-fil-A) immediately after. Please visit www.marylandmarchforlife.org for more information.

A DAY FOR HOPE & HEALING: INFERTILITY & MISCARRIAGE

On Saturday, March 25, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC (3900 Harewood Road, NE), the Archdiocese will host a Day for Hope and Healing for those struggling with infertility or who have suffered a miscar-riage. The day will include Holy Mass, a panel with Q&A, praise and worship during Adoration, and Confession. The event is free, but please register at dayforhope.eventbrite.com. Simultaneous Spanish translation is available. For more information, call Carla Ferrando in the Office of Family Life at 301-853-4499.

Spotlight on St. Jude Regional Catholic School Catch our Spirit

www.StJudeRockville.org http://www.facebook.com/stjuderockvillemd

March Madness It’s time again for the annual 8th grade vs. Faculty and Parents basketball game. Game is set for Thursday, March 9 at St. Pat-rick’s Catholic School. Doors open at 6:00 pm. All are invited

SAVE THE DATE ST. FRANCIS FUNDRAISERS

ANNUAL YARD SALE Saturday, May 13

Please start saving your “stuff” and watch the bulletin for addi-tional details regarding drop-off and volunteer sign-ups.

2017 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR Food Booth 37 August 11 - 19

Watch the bulletin for additional information regarding volunteer sign-ups. This is a major fundraiser for St. Francis.

EVENING MASS AT ST. PETER’S DURING LENT On Monday through Thursday evenings, Saint Peter’s Parish cele-brates Mass at 7:15 p.m. Saint Peter’s is located just one quarter mile east of Georgia Avenue on Olney-Sandy Spring Road (MD Route 108). For further information, call 301-924-3774 or visit their website at www.saintpetersolney.org.