Wednesday February 14 is Ash Wednesday. All Confessions are canceled. St Mary will celebrate Mass with the distribution of Ashes at:
6:30am
9am
12pm
4pm Latin Novus Ordo
6pm
8pm bilingual
Additionally, there will be two parish Masses at Holy Cross Academy, 250 Stafford Lakes Parkway, Fredericksburg VA 22406 at:
4:30pm
6pm
February 5, 2024
Legislation to legalize physician assisted suicide is moving rapidly in this year’s Virginia General Assembly session. The Senate and House have both taken steps to advance this lethal measure. Within the next week, floor debates in one or both chambers are likely to occur.
We are alarmed and deeply saddened by this development. Human life is sacred and must never be abandoned or discarded. At this critical moment, we implore the faithful across our two dioceses: Please contact your state Senator and Delegate. Urge them to reject assisted suicide legislation, using the alert provided by the Virginia Catholic Conference. To access the alert, click here.
Every suicide is a tragedy. Assisted suicide facilitates tragedies and makes the most vulnerable even more vulnerable. Legalizing it would place the lives of people with disabilities, people with mental illnesses, the elderly, and those unable to afford healthcare – among others – at heightened risk of deadly harm.
In the few states where assisted suicide is legal, this troubling reality has already taken root. For example, insurance companies have denied coverage for cancer treatment and other life-saving procedures but offered to pay for cheaper suicide drugs instead. And in Oregon, only 3.3% of the patients who died by assisted suicide since its legalization in 1998 were referred for psychiatric evaluation.
People facing the end of life are in great need, and must be accompanied with great care and attentiveness. To address each of their needs and alleviate their suffering, patients deserve high quality medical, palliative, and hospice care – not suicide drugs.
Please tell the members of the Virginia General Assembly who represent you not to bring assisted suicide to our Commonwealth.
La legislación para legalizar el suicidio asistido por un médico avanza rápidamente en Virginia este año Sesión de la Asamblea General. Tanto el Senado como la Cámara de Representantes han tomado medidas para avanzar en esta letal medida. Es probable que durante la próxima semana se produzcan debates en una o ambas cámaras.
Estamos alarmados y profundamente entristecidos por este acontecimiento. La vida humana es sagrada y nunca debe ser abandonada o descartada. En este momento crítico, imploramos a los fieles de nuestras dos diócesis: Por favor comuníquese con el Senador y Delegado de su estado. Instarlos a rechazar la legislación del suicidio asistido, utilizando la alerta proporcionada por la Conferencia Católica de Virginia. Para acceder a la alerta, haga clic aquí.
Todo suicidio es una tragedia. El suicidio asistido facilita las tragedias y vuelve a los más vulnerables aún más vulnerable. Legalizarlo pondría en peligro la vida de las personas con discapacidad, de las personas con enfermedades mentales, personas mayores y aquellos que no pueden pagar la atención médica, entre otros, en mayor riesgo de sufrir daños mortales.
En los pocos estados donde el suicidio asistido es legal, esta preocupante realidad ya se ha arraigado. Por ejemplo, las compañías de seguros han negado la cobertura para el tratamiento del cáncer y otros tratamientos que salvan vidas, pero se ofreció a pagar medicamentos suicidas más baratos. Y en Oregón, sólo el 3,3% de los pacientes que murieron por suicidio asistido desde su legalización en 1998 fueron remitidos a centros para evaluación psiquiátrica.
Las personas que se enfrentan al final de la vida tienen una gran necesidad y deben ser acompañadas con gran cuidado y atención. Para abordar cada una de sus necesidades y aliviar su sufrimiento, los pacientes merecen una alta atención médica, paliativa y de cuidados paliativos de calidad, no medicamentos suicidas.
Por favor díganles a los miembros de la Asamblea General de Virginia que lo representan que no traigan suicidio asistido a nuestra Commonwealth.
Dear Folks,
Survey? Remember that from last year? Ok, I didn’t formally publish the results in here, but didn’t forget that you deserve an insight into the results. There were three focuses of the survey:
1. Extra Spanish Mass! This was the primary driver of the survey, provided results that were mixed at best, and led me to try to think of an “out-of-the-box” solution. The need and desire for another spanish Mass came through, but there was no clear winner on where/when the Mass should be. The least popular option was adding a spanish Mass at Holy Cross Academy. The most popular option was changing the 7pm Mass Saturday to Spanish. However, the number of folks who indicated they would attend that Spanish Mass was less than the English speakers who would ‘lose their Mass!’ Not ideal, to say the lest.
Thus, the “out-of-the-box” solution: a 7 pm Saturday evening Mass in Spanish at St. Jude’s! I started by jokingly calling it ‘St. Mary’s south!’ When I approached Fr. O’Keefe about this idea, he was willing to talk, but there were things to work through. We have gotten there, so the Mass will begin on the first Saturday of Lent! (February 17th) The Mass will be celebrated by a combination of our priests, and guest priests who regularly help St. Judes. I was happy to tell the 7pm folks here, that they won’t be losing their Mass!
2. Capital Campaign. The results here were more about helping staff understand the impact and reception of the Capital Campaign. This was incorporated into our methodology and was helpful in showing that after receiving visits, parishioners were coming away happy with the level of information, and better informed about the proscess and goals of the campaign.
3. Economic Impact. The final area was connected with economic impact. This information was useful in our making the case that St. Mary’s provides an important economic impact in Fredericksburg. This did help in shaping our strategy and answering City staff questions as we worked through the special exception application with the City in order to rezone some of our church property.
So thank you for your feedback! While I usually produce pages of statistics for the number crunchers to review, your feedback did convince me to seek a new, outside-the-box solution to the Mass question! If you really want to see some of the numbers, email me, and I’d be happy to send you the PDF for your perusal!
Lent Coming and Retreat!
Father James Searby will give our parish retreat the first full week of Lent, Feb 20-22 (Tues – Thurs). Father is a dynamic speaker, with a popular podcast (Holiness for the Working Day). I am confident that you will be edified and inspired! Mark your calendar and read the bulletin for more info as we get closer.
VA March and Bishop’s letter
That same week, on Wednesday Feb 21, will be the Virginia March for Life. With the renewed attack on the sanctity of human life, it is more critical than ever to work on the local level to serve and defend life. Please see our bishop’s statement about the recent rally in Manassas attacking this sacred value, as it is included here in English & Spanish.
I’ll see you next week, as I am typing this in the Houston airport, on my way to Utah for the annual sacred ski trip!!
pax,
Father John Mosimann
President Biden has made abortion the centerpiece of his campaign. At a rally in Manassas, VA, he advocated for codifying Roe v. Wade into law. It is incredibly devastating to know President Biden would place “choice” over his sacred duty to protect life.
President Biden’s rally took place just four miles from the Manassas Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic, where Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington offers free prenatal care to pregnant women in need and their unborn children. In the year after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision, the Diocese of Arlington delivered $877,000 in free medical care to more than 1,000 women. Going further, the diocese also provided rent and utilities assistance, nearly 400,000 diapers, and 4,000 cans of formula to families in need.
Despite what this administration claims, taking the life of an innocent child is never a “choice.” Women who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies deserve assistance that affirms and supports life – not destroy it.
Abortion remains the preeminent civil rights issue of our time, yet, just yesterday, the Biden administration announced renewed efforts to increase access to medically unsafe prescription abortion pills. This is clearly not about women’s health.
The Diocese of Arlington and the entire pro-life movement will remain steadfast in ensuring parents facing unexpected or challenging pregnancies have the support they need to choose life for their unborn children.
El Presidente Biden ha hecho del aborto el eje de su campaña. En una manifestación en Manassas, VA, abogó por la codificación de Roe v. Wade en la ley. Es increíblemente devastador saber que el Presidente Biden antepone la “elección” a su sagrado deber de proteger la vida.
El mitin del Presidente Biden tuvo lugar a sólo cuatro millas de la Clínica Médica Gratuita Mother of Mercy (Madre de Misericordia) de Manassas, donde Caridades Católicas de la Diócesis de Arlington ofrece atención prenatal gratuita a mujeres embarazadas necesitadas y a sus hijos no nacidos. En el año posterior a la sentencia del caso Dobbs contra Jackson Women’s Health, la Diócesis de Arlington entregó 877.000 dólares en atención médica gratuita a más de 1.000 mujeres. Yendo más allá, la diócesis también proporcionó ayudas para el alquiler y los servicios públicos, casi 400.000 pañales y 4.000 latas de leche maternizada a familias necesitadas.
A pesar de lo que afirme esta administración, quitar la vida a un niño inocente nunca es una “elección”. Las mujeres que se enfrentan a embarazos inesperados o difíciles merecen una ayuda que afirme y apoye la vida, no que la destruya.
El aborto sigue siendo el principal problema de derechos civiles de nuestro tiempo y, sin embargo, ayer mismo, la administración Biden anunció nuevos esfuerzos para aumentar el acceso a píldoras abortivas recetadas que no son seguras desde el punto de vista médico. Está claro que no se trata de la salud de las mujeres.
La Diócesis de Arlington y todo el movimiento provida se mantendrán firmes en asegurar que los padres que se enfrentan a embarazos inesperados o difíciles tengan el apoyo que necesitan para elegir la vida para sus hijos no nacidos.