A Sacrament is defined as "an outward sign of inward grace" which was instituted by Christ Himself and receives its power from God, through the merits of Christ.
- Baptism and Penance are known as the "Sacraments of the Dead" because before receiving them when needed, we are dead in sin.
- Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony are known as the "Sacraments of the Living" because one must be in a state of grace to receive them licitly and receive their fruits; they give additional grace to souls already spiritually alive.
- Matrimony and Holy Orders are known as the "Social Sacraments" because they are designed primarily for the benefit of society and confer a social status.
- Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders are the three Sacraments which leave an indelible mark on the recipient's soul and can never be repeated.

Annunciation

Normally the Annunciation falls on March 25 (9 months before Christmas). This year we are celebrating it later so as not to conflict with Easter week. The Blessed Mother's yes to God's will is the beginning of salvation for all the world. May she inspire us to also say yes to God's will.

The 7 Sacraments (The Holy Mysteries)

1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. Eucharist
4. Penance (Confession, Reconciliation)
5. Matrimony
6. Holy Orders
7. Annointing of the Sick

MERCY: The loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends (e.g., the mercy of God to us sinners)

noli me tangere

"Do not cling to me." These are the words of Jesus to Mary Magdalen when she recognizes him after the resurrection. Our home is in heaven not in this life. What is the purpose of life? What is your hope? The object of hope is God himself who transcends all things. If we place our ultimate hope in him then every created thing will be in its proper place. If we place our hope in a created thing then we will destroy it or it because it fails to satisfy the spirit. Jesus taught Mary Magdalen to exercise her supernatural hope.

This week is called "Bright Week" or the "Octave of Easter." Easter is not just one day. It is 50 days, and it concludes with the Feast of Pentecost. These 8 days after Easter Sunday are all solemnities. We should keep before our eyes the mystery of the Resurrection. Mary Magdalen had the honor of being the first witness of the resurrection. At the side you can see a painting of her talking with the angel at the tomb.

Christ has risen! Alleluia!

Prayer

More reflections from the pope:
To pray is not to step outside history and withdraw to our own private corner of happiness. When we pray properly we undergo a process of inner purification which opens us up to God and thus to our fellow human beings as well. In prayer we must learn what we can truly ask of God—what is worthy of God. We must learn that we cannot pray against others. We must learn that we cannot ask for the superficial and comfortable things that we desire at this moment—that meagre, misplaced hope that leads us away from God. We must learn to purify our desires and our hopes. We must free ourselves from the hidden lies with which we deceive ourselves. God sees through them, and when we come before God, we too are forced to recognize them. “But who can discern his errors? Clear me from hidden faults” prays the Psalmist (Ps 19:12 [18:13]). Failure to recognize my guilt, the illusion of my innocence, does not justify me and does not save me, because I am culpable for the numbness of my conscience and my incapacity to recognize the evil in me for what it is. If God does not exist, perhaps I have to seek refuge in these lies, because there is no one who can forgive me; no one who is the true criterion. Yet my encounter with God awakens my conscience in such a way that it no longer aims at self-justification, and is no longer a mere reflection of me and those of my contemporaries who shape my thinking, but it becomes a capacity for listening to the Good itself.

live for others

This was taken from Benedict XVI's latest encyclical "Spe Salvi."
Christ died for all. To live for him means allowing oneself to be drawn into his being for others.
For Augustine this meant a totally new life. He once described his daily life in the following terms:
“The turbulent have to be corrected,
the faint-hearted cheered up,
the weak supported;
the Gospel's opponents need to be refuted,
its insidious enemies guarded against;
the unlearned need to be taught,
the indolent stirred up,
the argumentative checked;
the proud must be put in their place,
the desperate set on their feet,
those engaged in quarrels reconciled;
the needy have to be helped,
the oppressed to be liberated,
the good to be encouraged,
the bad to be tolerated;
all must be loved”[

Jesus died for all people, even those who would never accept him. Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, and yet he still died for him.

Please pray for the Catholics in Iraq. One of their bishops was kidnapped a few weeks ago, and his body was recently found. Their entire community is persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Many of them are fleeing from the country. Their families have been Christian since the 2nd century and now they must flee their homeland.

St. Patrick's Day

I forgot to tell everyone what a great succes our St. Patrick's day dinner was. It was held on March 9 so as not to conflict with Holy Week. We served over 1300 dinners and the raffle brought in over $21,000. The silent auction raised $2460. Thanks to everyone who worked and who supported the event!

Holy Week

I have been away from the computer for a few days. My mom and I sent my sister on a retreat. Mom and I took care of her four kids for the weekend. It was a lot of fun. I took them to the Giefer's home to see the horses and the fowl.

Today is March 17, but St. Patrick gets passed over this year in honor of Holy Week. This is the most sacred time of the year. Do something this week to honor the Lord and to keep his passion in front of you.

Read Psalm 22

Building Designs

Check out our latest drawings for the building project. You can see them at the parish website.

http://www.stpatskingman.org/

I've been away (from the blog) for a few days. We had a great St. Patrick's Day Dinner this year. We sold over 21,000 in raffle tickets. The silent auction brought in over 2400, and we served more than 12oo people. It was a very successful day. Thanks to all who worked and to all who supported it.

Here is a little reflection from St. Josemaria Escriva.
Some people act out of prejudice in their work: On principle they trust nobody, and it goes without saying that they do not understand the need to sanctify their job. If you mention it to them they tell you not to add another burden to their own work, which they put up with relunctantly as if they were supporting a heavy weight.
That is one of the battles for peace we have to win, to find God in our work, and with him and like him, to serve others.

Stations of the Cross

In the early Middle Ages one of the major devotional practices was to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In Jerusalem this is called the "Via Dolorosa."

When the Muslims took over the Holy Land in the year 736 it became more difficult to make the pilgrimage. Around the year 1000 it was no longer possible at all to make pilgrimage. The crusades were the Christian response to this, the main purpose being to make it possible to once again visit the Holy Land in peace.

Around this same time the Stations of the Cross began to grow as a replacement of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The stations are a way of walking with Jesus as he carries the cross.

The Stations of the Cross have been a fundamental part of Christian piety for several centuries. Even before they were represented artistically in churches, Christians had always meditated on the passion of Jesus.

You should attend the stations next Friday.

Papal thoughts

Death, than which nothing is more certain.

Judgment, than which nothing is more strict.

Hell, than which nothing is more terrible.

Heaven, than which nothing is more delightful.

Pope John XXIII

Prudence

The Church does not dictate for whom you should vote. No candidate receives an endorsement from the Church. The teaching of the Church should form our ideals and thinking i.e. the dignity of human life, preferential option for the poor, respect for the family, respect for the environment, etc.
The individual voter must then apply his or her prudence to the situation. Prudence is the practical application of our principles to concrete situations.
You cannot vote for a candidate because he is pro-abortion. You might vote for the same candidate because you think his policies will benefit the poor and help the economy and in this way actually decrease the number of abortions. Will this necessarily happen? Who knows? That is why there is a freedom on your part to make a decision.
There is no discussion when it comes to the sanctity of human life and dignity of marriage.
There is much discussion when it comes to whose policies will actually bring about the common good of the society.

Food

Here is a nice link to some cultural things you can do at home.
http://www.catholicculture.org/liturgicalyear/recipes/

President Obama

Go to this link to find out another of Obama's ominous ideas.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11946

March 3

There are only 20 days until Easter.
How is your lenten sacrifice going? It's not too late to start.

Ephesians 5:8-14Brothers and sisters:You were once darkness,but now you are light in the Lord.Live as children of light,for light produces every kind of goodnessand righteousness and truth.Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mentionthe things done by them in secret;but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,for everything that becomes visible is light.Therefore, it says:“Awake, O sleeper,and arise from the dead,and Christ will give you light.”

Washington Wisdom

I ran across a great little book.
George Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation.

Here is a quote: Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.