Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

A Holy and Blessed Easter to you and all of your loved ones! As we complete the octave of Easter with the Feast of Divine Mercy! This year there will devotions in honor of Divine Mercy after the 10:30am Mass at HCA, and after the 2:30pm Mass in the church! So double the opportunity to pray these devotions!

I was recently mulling over two things: a priest saying, ‘I wish we could see the face of Jesus,’ and our Confirmation candidates’ letters saying, ‘I want to
get closer to God.’ Aren’t these really the same thing? Everyone of us longs to see Him, know Him, and love Him. Yet we do so by faith, hope, and charity. People may think that faith is easy for priests. It isn’t easy for anybody.

Our longing and searching and yearning to be closer to God and see His face it itself a work of grace. It is love stirring us to greater faith and hope. And the answer is that we can’t desire to be closer unless He is already with in us. We can’t long to see His face unless has already given us a glimpse.

Consider Jesus’ answer to Phillip who asked to see the Father, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
Or consider this famous quote from St. Augustine, “Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you.”

We long to see the face of God and to be close to Him, only because He is already within us and inviting us to see Him and know how close He already is.

With Saint Faustina, on this glorious Feast of Divine Mercy, hear Him whisper in your soul how much He loves you and desires you to have the fullness of joy.

Pax,

Fr. John Mosimann

Divine Mercy Devotions

April 5, 2021 St Mary Fred

Divine Mercy Devotions are held every Wednesday in the church at 3pm. For this upcoming Divine Mercy Sunday, we will have 2 devotions, one on Sunday April 11 after the 10:30am Mass at Holy Cross Academy, and another at St Mary Church at 3:30pm after our Spanish Mass in completed.

Happy Easter!

April 5, 2021 St Mary Fred

From Our Pastor

April 4, 2021 St Mary Fred

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.

Dear Folks,

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen, just as He said!

I am so glad that we are able to celebrate this feast together this year! Last year, during the pandemic and lockdown we had to stream Mass on Easter Sunday. There was a little lady peering in the windows of the door of the church at the beginning of Mass. I immediately connected this early morning visitor with the ladies who went to the tomb on the very first Easter Sunday! She had braved much in coming out in the most locked down time of the pandemic. I knew I had to let her in.

Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene who had run to the tomb in her love of Him, and she had come in love searching for Our Lord. When I let her in, she wept for joy. She sat in the back and wept, saying “who am I that Jesus should let me in?” I tell you what folks, she is one of the most powerfully prayerful people in this parish. And now Jesus has called her home to eternity, so even more so. I am confident that this Easter she will remember me, and put in a good word to Jesus on my behalf. And on your behalf too, because many of you received miraculous medals from her, and prayers, and maybe even your wedding or prom dress.

Another grateful, heartfelt word of thanks to every one of you who have been helping the parish to weather the damaging financial effects of the lockdown and pandemic. Many parishioners switched to electronic giving. This increase in use of Faith Direct has been a great help in uncertain times, and I am so very grateful for your generosity which has kept us running and ministering to the needs of our parish and city. Yes, there is a form in the bulletin this week, should anyone else be ready to switch to electronic giving.

Enjoy this wonderful and most solemn feast of our faith. Everything is found in this feast, where Christ triumphs over death, disease, and fear. I wish you a blessed day with your family!

Pax,

Father John Mosimann