Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

Dear Folks,

“When I am lifted up, then you will know that I AM.” With these words Jesus clearly spoke to those who denied his divinity, and his being the messiah.

Lifted up? He is lifted up in mystery on Holy Thursday at the first Mass. He is lifted up in history on Good Friday on the Cross. He is lifted up in glory on Easter Sunday in the resurrection. This is why we speak of the paschal mystery as the offering of the unblemished lamb encompassing the entirety of the triduum beginning Holy Thursday night and through Easter Sunday. In these celebrations, we are celebrating the mystery that makes us what we are: sons and daughters of the Father. Do you want to know who He is and therefore who you are? Then look at Him when He is lifted up in mystery, history, and glory.

I can’t exhort you too firmly to attend the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. To that end, we are offering all of these liturgies in the Expo Center. If you haven’t been able to get out, and are only recently vaccinated, consider making a retreat of the weekend. Spend these days with Jesus, and you will know Him better.

So many folks have “use or lose vacation days” at the end of every year. Why not consider giving a couple of those to Jesus by taking off a few Holy Days to spend with Him in prayer?

The only thing happening in the church during the tridum, will be adoration on Holy Thursday (12 mignight to 10am, 12 noon to 6pm, and approximately 9:30pm to midnight). All other prayers will be in the Expo Center. The church will be locked on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, so that people who come might not be confused and sitting in church waiting for Masses.

Finally, confessions this week in the PLC available at 11:30am and 6:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Your parish priests will be serving up big helpings of Jesus’ mercy. Those who are really observant may note that the 12:30pm confessions don’t appear in the calendar we have been publishing all Lent. Yep, they are your bonus for reading this column! Lines always get longer all week, so have mercy on your parish priests and get there Monday!

There will be limited availability of confessions at the Expo Center 12 noon to 2pm on Good Friday, but we are sometimes unable to hear all of the confessions before having to begin the Veneration of the Cross liturgy. Please do not wait till Good Friday as we may not have time to hear your confession.

Pax,

Fr. Mosimann

 

Saturday March 27

Confessions at 8am-9am and 2:30pm-4:30pm

Vigil Masses for Palm Sunday at 5pm and 7pm at St Mary

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Palm Sunday March 28

Mass at 7am, 8:30am (LIVESTREAMED), 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm (Spanish)(LIVESTREAMED), 5pm, and 7pm at St Mary

Mass at Holy Cross (This is our High Risk Parishioner Mass, all attendees required to wear masks and receive Communion in the hand) 8:30am and 10:30am

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Monday March 29

6:30am, 9am (LIVESTREAMED), 12pm Mass at St Mary

Confessions 11:30am-12pm in the PLC, Confessions 6:30pm-7:30pm in the PLC

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Tuesday March 30

6:30am and 9am (LIVESTREAMED) Mass at St Mary

Confessions 11:30am-12pm in the PLC, Confessions 6:30pm-7:30pm in the PLC

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Wednesday March 31

6:30am, 9am (LIVESTREAMED), 12pm Mass at St Mary

Confessions 11:30am-12pm in the PLC, Confessions 6:30pm-8:30pm in the PLC

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Holy Thursday April 1

9am Office of Reading and Morning Prayer Live Streamed Only at 9am (LIVESTREAMED)

7:30pm Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Fredericksburg Expo Center, followed by Adoration until Midnight in the Church (LIVESTREAMED)

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Good Friday April 2

9am Office of Reading and Morning Prayer Live Streamed Only (LIVESTREAMED)

12pm-2:30pm The Tre Ore (The Seven Last Words of Christ) at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

12pm-2pm: Confessions at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LAST CONFESSIONS BEFORE EASTER)

3pm: The Passion and Veneration of the Holy Cross at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

7pm Stations of the Cross at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

8pm: Spanish Stations of the Cross at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

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Holy Saturday April 3

9am Office of Reading and Morning Prayer Live Streamed Only (LIVESTREAMED)

11am Blessing of Easter Food at the Fredericksburg Expo Center

8:30pm: The Easter Vigil at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

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Easter Sunday April 4

8am Mass at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

10:15am Mass at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

12:30pm Mass at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

2:30pm Special Confirmation Mass at 2:30pm all at the Fredericksburg Expo Center (LIVESTREAMED)

Please note that as guests of the Fredericksburg Expo Center, all attendees are required to wear masks while inside the building and to follow the directions of the parish and Expo center employees and volunteers.

 

Father Kelly has just completed his week 6 lesson of A Small Course of Spirituality: Soundings from the Great Doctors.  We will be recording all the Zoom lessons and posting them to the parish website.

To watch the Zoom lesson for Week 6, click here!

Dear Folks,

What a year it has been. We have passed the one year anniversary of the shutdown, and many folks are beginning to feel more comfortable returning to Mass. For that I am grateful. I have received several emails from folks wondering just how the accommodations for COVID precautions will affect their experience of praying the Mass. Or alternatively, emails from folks who recently returned and are grateful for those accommodations. We are going to begin including altar servers once again at our Masses and recently sent an email to reconnect with the team. If you did not receive an email or are interested in altar serving please email stmaryfxbg@gmail.com. A quick word of thanks to Vicky Kopcak who has faithfully directed this ministry for many years, may God reward you, and a welcome to Lara Traylor who is taking the reins moving forward.

I must also thank the many staff members and volunteers who have displayed great generosity in serving during this pandemic. It has required a degree of flexibility and understanding in the face of ever-changing parameters and requirements from the Commonwealth. I honestly don’t think that most parishioners understands how difficult it has been this year to keep this parish running. I will leave you with these words of Pope Benedict in an address to Volunteers from 2008:

“Volunteers want to be asked, they want to be told: “I need you” – “You can do it!” How good it feels to hear words like these! In their human simplicity, they unwittingly point us to the God who has called each of us into being and given us a personal task, the God who needs us and awaits our response. Jesus called men and women, and gave them the courage needed to embark on a great undertaking, one to which, by themselves, they would never have dared to aspire. To allow oneself to be called, to make a decision and then to set out on a path – without the usual questions about whether it is useful or profitable – this attitude will naturally bring healing in its wake. The saints have shown us this path by their lives. It is a fascinating and thrilling path, a path of generosity and, nowadays, one which is much needed. To say “yes” to volunteering to help others is a decision which is liberating; it opens our hearts to the needs of others, to the requirements of justice, to the defense of life and the protection of creation. Volunteer work is really about the heart of the Christian image of God and man: love of God and love of neighbor.”

Brothers and Sisters, you are wanted, needed, appreciated and loved! Welcome back to all of our parish members, and all who work so hard to make St. Mary’s a family!

pax,

Father John Mosimann