Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

This is a picture of me offering Mass in the tomb where Jesus rose from the dead. Maybe my favorite picture ever.

How did I get the shot? Well the area where I was standing is about 3 feet by 7 feet. 7 priests were crammed into this area. I had asked one of the priests to snap a picture when Mass began, but didn’t want him to be distracted because he was concelebrating. So he holds the camera up (about 12 inches from my ear) and blindly takes pictures right after the consecration. Yikes! I hear the camera clicking in my ear and think, “not now! Please Father!” With the very low light and his proximity to me it was a miracle that the picture came out so well! Because of this, I have to have a little mercy on you when take pictures at Mass… but not if you come up right behind me! 😉

I know that many folks here have made pilgrimages to the Holy Land. I believe that everyone should try to get there one day, if possible, because of how it will deepen your faith. To see where Jesus walked, prayed, was born and rose from the dead? These scriptures will cease to be ‘stories’ and come alive.

I will be leaving for the Holy Land tomorrow (Monday 1/28 at the crack of dawn). I’d love to take your prayer intentions with me. If you want to email me prayer intentions send them to frmosimann@stmaryfred. org. Or send them to me on facebook. I have a post on there where you can add prayer intentions to my list.

My plan will be to pray for all of your intentions in two ways:
1. The ones that I have early enough, I will print out and put them on the altars at each stop where we offer Holy Mass.

2. I hope to find time to spend several hours in the Church on Calvary to pray for all of the intentions specifically. Last trip I was able to make an all night vigil in the tomb and on Calvary, so I had plenty of time to accomplish this!

Dear Folks,
Things swirling through my mind this morning as I type, the furlough, the Super Bowl, and the Teachers. First the Furlough. With the furlough, there are many people is this area who are facing tougher times than normal, many of whom are our brothers and sisters in this parish. Please pay attention to your friends and neighbors. And for those most directly affected by this furlough, please come and use our parish food bank
if needed. Any parishioner in need can come to the parish office and ask for food. We can also help direct you to other resources as needed. We have very active and engaged outreach ministries, and we don’t want to forget our own.

Also, I have asked that we have a petition at every Sunday Mass for the end of the furlough, and we will have it every week until it ends.
Second, the Super Bowl. A parishioner told me that back when he was in college many years ago, Vince Lombardi spoke to his football team. He told them that the reason for their multiple championships was that they “love one another.” It was about teaching virtue

as much as the playbook. Well, I have heard the same things about the teams left this weekend.
Virtue, unity, pursuing the good of the whole over self interest… these really do achieve results. The unity

of the Catholic Church is supernatural. It is the Holy Spirit who is the unifying factor in the Church and we must become what we are by conforming ourselves to Him. To succeed in defending the life of the Church in America, we must love another, and believe in each other.

Thirdly, I will renew thanks for those who teach the faith in our parish children: our catechists and school teachers. This coming Saturday we are having a dinner to honor and thank all who serve so generously in this way. I treasure these ‘social’ opportunities for us to be together, to enjoy each other’s company and to grow closer together. May we grow in that divine love that will make us champions unto eternal life, whatever obstacles may be in our way. For all catechists and teachers, there is still time to rsvp to Saturday’s dinner, please come.

pax et bonum,

Fr. Mosimann