Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND CONFESSIONS

Stations of the Cross are Every Friday of Lent at 6:30pm in the church, and at 7pm in Spanish in the church.

Confessions are Regularly head every Wednesday from 11:30am-12pm, and from 6:30pm-7:30pm; and every Saturday from 8am-8:30am, and 3:30pm-4:30pm.

ADDITIONAL LENTEN CONFESSIONS

Monday March 27 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7pm

Wednesday March 29 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7pm

Friday March 31 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7pm

Monday April 3 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7:30pm

Tuesday April 4 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7:30pm

Wednesday April 5 at 11:30am-12pm, 6:30pm-7:30pm

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION APRIL 2

Palms are distributed and blessed at All Masses:

Saturday April 1

5pm

7pm

SUNDAY APRIL 2

7am

8:30am

10:30am

12:30pm

2:30pm Spanish

5pm

7pm

Sunday April 2 at HOY CROSS ACADEMY 250 STAFFORD LAKES PARKWAY FREDERICKSBURG 22406

8:30am

10:30am

HOLY THURSDAY APRIL 6

8am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings

7:30pm Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper followed by Adoration in the PLC until 11:45pm

11:45pm Night Prayer in the PLC

GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 7

8am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings

12pm-3pm The Tree Ore The Seven Last Words of Christ

3pm The Passion and Veneration of the Holy Cross

7pm Stations of the Cross

7:30pm Stations in Spanish

10pm Night Prayer

HOLY SATURDAY APRIL 8*

*NO CONFESSIONS ON SATURDAY

8am Morning Prayer and Office of Readings

11am Blessing of Easter Food

8:30pm The Easter Vigil (at St Mary)

EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 9

ALL EASTER MASSES ARE AT THE FREDERICKSBURG EXPO CENTER: 2371 CARL D. SILVER PKWY, FREDERICKSBURG VA 22401

8am Easter Mass at the Expo Center

10:15am Easter Mass at the Expo Center

12:30pm Bilingual Easter Mass at the Expo Center

So we have cleared the halfway point of Lent! Next week we start our added confessional schedule, with as many opportunities to schedule confessions as I could manage to work onto the calendar. I am grateful for the work of Fr. Riley, during our parish retreat as we were able offer hours and hours of extra confession opportunities!

As I was looking for inspiration for this week’s bulletin note, I came across these words of Our Lord to St. Faustina recorded in her diary.

“I am love and mercy itself. … Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. … My mercy is greater than your sins, and those of the entire world. … I let My Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then with trust to draw graces from this fountain. … The graces of My mercy are drawn by the means of one vessel only, and that is trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive.”

“Let no soul fear to draw near to me.” I was afraid of going to the dentist as a child. One conversation with an older sister brought out that she too was scarred
by our childhood dentist! I sometimes said, “I am an unrepentant dentist hater!” Ouch! But as a priest, I have found a dentist that I trust who is gracious and kind and who doesn’t inflict mountains of pain! I know that so many people have had an unpleasant moment in confession, and are afraid to go back. On behalf of every priest, I ask for mercy for the times we are tired, or grumpy, or just fail to understand! And I exhort you to not be afraid to draw near to Jesus.

More Trust = More Mercy. I was struck there that Jesus says there is only one vessel that can draw his mercy from the fountain of grace: trust. Sometimes I bring my own coffee mug over to the school in the morning, because I want the biggest mug of coffee I can handle! If we want to know how to fill up our souls with His mercy; here he gives us a hint. Put aside doubts, fear, even anxiety to trustingly come to Jesus. By ‘put aside’ I don’t mean eliminate entirely because that is probalby not in your power. I mean don’t let them stop you from choosing to draw near to Jesus, that itself is an act of trust and opens fountains of mercy.

pax,

Father John Mosimann

Knights of Columbus Family Dinner Saturday

March 17, 2023 St Mary Fred

St. Patrick’s Family Dinner

Saturday, March 18 | 5:30-8pm | PLC

The Knights of Columbus will be hosting an amazing family dinner in celebration of St. Patrick. All proceeds will be used to upgrade the Parish Life Center kitchen equipment.

In Irish tradition, being cooked and served on-site will be Irish soda bread, corned beef, Brussel sprouts, red potatoes, and dessert.

Price: Adults/Teens – $15, Seniors (60+) – $12, Children (7-12) – $10. The maximum cost per family – $40.

In addition to a wonderful menu, there will be a beer/wine cash bar. Must be 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume alcohol. All alcohol must be consumed on premises.