St. Bernadette Catholic Church
Parish Notes
Rev. Justin Reis, Pastor
Parish Office: 740-654-1893
February 2005
Volume II No. 2
 
 
Table of Contents


  
  Holy Thursday:  Seder Meal and Mass of the Lord's Supper

St. Bernadette Festival

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT:
  Marriage Encounter

Special Thank You

Teen Mass

Baptisms
Weddings
Funerals
Home Page

Newsletter Index Page
 Lancaster Area Lenten Activities:
  St. Bernadette
  St. Mark
  St. Mary

A Spiritual Reading list
  from Matthew Kelly

Did you ever wonder about...
  Traditional Lenten Foods?

Columbus Diocese Installs
  New Bishop

Holy Week Service Schedule 		 
 

 

 

  
 

 

Celebrate Holy Thursday: Seder Meal and Mass of the Lord's Supper

    On Thursday, March 24, St. Bernadette Parish will celebrate the first event in the sacred Triduum.  This evening begins at 5:30 P.M. with the Seder Meal in the Parish Hall. Passover is the great Jewish feast of liberation, the memorial of the Isrealites' deliverance from their bondage in Egypt.  The complete story can be found in the book of Exodus in the Old Testament. The ritual meal which commemorates the Exodus is called the Seder.  From a Christian perspective, it was the Passover Seder that Jesus celebrated at the Last Supper with his apostles when he instituted the Holy Eucharist.  The Seder meal includes food, commentary, prayers and song.  As celebrated in our parish, we first share a ritual or symbolic meal followed by a pot luck supper.  The ritual meal features tiny portions of matzah (unleavened bread), maror (bitter herbs) haroset (a mixture of apples. spices and nuts), hard boiled eggs, salt water, lamb, and red wine (or grape juice).

    Following at 7:30 P.M., will be the Mass celebrating the Lord's Supper.  The celebration of this Mass, commemorating the institution of the sacrament of Holy Eucharist, takes on special significance as we observe the "Year of the Eucharist", as designated by the Holy Father.   The Holy Thursday Liturgy at St. Bernadette's is marked by several special rituals: members of the RCIA class process in with the holy oils; the priest and deacons wash the feet of the parishioners; the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession and adoration continues after the liturgy is closed - an opportunity to keep vigil with the Lord, reminiscent of the disciples keeping watch with Him in the Garden of Gethsemene.  The St. Bernadette Adult Choir provides the music for the Mass, which helps to set a very prayerful, contemplative tone.

    If you have never attended Holy Thursday Seder or Mass, consider adding it to your Holy Week observances this year.  It will provide a new perspective to your experience of the Lord's Passion.  If you have any questions, please call the parish office at 654-1893.

 

 

  
 
Balloons

 

Festival Time

Planning is underway
for the
St. Bernadette Festival
to be held
June 10 and 11.

Many volunteers are
needed to make this event
a success.

Please call Becky Kuhn at
536-7278
Children Rides
  
 
 
 

 

 

  
 

 

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Marriage Encounter


    Marriage Encounter is a unique and wonderful way to reconnect with your partner and revitalize your Christian marriage.   The weekend retreat is based on improving intercouple communication in an atmosphere removed from daily stressors.  With demands we have in our society, it is a wonderful way to get away and focus on the reasons that brought you together in the first place.

    The retreat is run by other couples who have experienced a marriage encounter, as well as a priest or other religious.  They help you to increase your communication so that when you leave the retreat center, you and your partner will have the necessary "tools" in your pocket to handle those stressors that your left behind.  Marriage Encounter is not just for couples in trouble, but for all couples who want to develop the best possible marital relationship.  It allows you to have those heart to heart conversations that you just never seem to have the time for, in privacy.  It can seem a daunting process.  It was helpful for us to know someone who had attended a weekend before we signed up for ours.   We would love, if you are considering a weekend, or think it might be a good idea for you and your partner, for you to give us a call (653-1345).  We could help to allay your concerns and express to you how it changed our lives for the better.
-contributed by Ginny and Kevin Frank


Click to visit Catholic World Marriage Encounter Web site
Catholic World Marriage Encounter Web Site

Columbus Diocese World Marriage Encounter Web Site


 

 

  
 

 

A very special Thank-you to Tom and Susan Saddler and Ray and Nancy Bolster for their assistance in assembling the November edition of Parish Notes.
You are the best !
Kathy and Liz

 

The Next St. Bernadette Teen-Led
Mass Will Be Held On
February 20, 2005 at 9:00 AM
Please Join Us For Spirited and
Spirit-Filled Worship !!

  
Baptisms
Emma Celeste McCrady 10/19/04
Daylon Keith Wihl 11/07/04
Zachariah Anthony Sass II 11/07/04
Makayla Jane Brill 11/21/04
Courtney Flemming 12/19/04

Weddings
Christopher and Tara Colligan 12/31/04

Funerals
Maxine Abbott 12/21/04
Edna Darfus 01/03/05
Leonar Zambrano 01/15/05
Walter Motz 01/24/05
Roberta Forquer 01/25/05
Jeanne Scholl 01/28/05


 

 

  
 

 

Lancaster Area Lenten Activities


St. Bernadette:
  • Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays at 6 P.M. (2-16-3/12)
  • School Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 1:50 P.M. (2/11-3/18)
  • Parish Penance Service on Sunday, 3/11 at 7 P.M.
  • Children's Choir for Easter Morning:
          Call Liz Latore, 653-8120, for more information
  • Adult Choir Rehearsals: Wednesday evenings from 7-9 P.M.
          Call Cliff and Nan Rowe for more information: 687-4591
  • Speaker Series: Sundays during Lent (10:15 - 11:15 A.M. in Parish Hall)
          February 20 - Jim Anderson from Coming Home Network
          February 27 - Mark Huddy from Diocesan Office
          March 6 - Matt Palmer from St. Catherine Parish, Columbus
          March 13 - John Reade from Lancaster

St. Mark:
  • Stations of the Cross followed by Benediction, every Friday during Lent at 6 P.M.
  • Speaker Series: Sundays of Lent, 7 P.M. in St. Raymond's Room (rear of church)
          February 13 - Father Jeff Rimelspach, formerly at Bremen
          February 20 - Peggy Hartshorn from Heartbeat International
          February 27 - Father Denis Kigozi, St. Thomas the Apostle (formerly of St. Mary, Lancaster)
          March 6 - Father James Colopy, pastor at St. Dominic
          March 13 - Jim Watson, lay leader at St. Mark
A viewing of the Movie "The Passion of the Christ" on March 20 at 5 P.M.  Time for discussion and reflection will follow, and all are welcome.


St. Mary:
  • Lenten Series on Morality: Deacon Frank Sullivan, Facilitator
          Thursdays of Lent in the Spirit Center (Parish Hall) from 7-9:15 P.M.
          Dates: 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10 and 3/17
  • Penance Service: Wednesday, March 2 at 7 P.M.

 

 

  
 

 

A Spiritual Reading List from Matthew Kelly

Rediscovering Catholicism

In my recent book Rediscovering Catholicism and during my recent Christmas talks, I spoke about the importance of spiritual reading.  I also offered a list of ten books to anyone who was looking for some direction in this area.

A spiritual director has the opportunity and the privilege to suggest books specifically to suit a person's place in the journey,  In this case, I do not have that luxury and have tried to put together a list for a very large group of people at varying places in the journey.  I have tried to suggest books that would:
  1. Renew our spiritual orientation by reminding us that we are each called to holiness, called to become the-best-version-of-ourselves.
  2. Give us the practical tools to grow in the spiritual life.
  3. Give some extension of many of the ideas I discussed in Rediscovering Catholicism, so if you haven't read it yet, I would suggest it as a starting point.
  4. Awaken our spiritual senses and inspire us to focus more of our time and efforts on the spiritual life.
This list is not perfect, but these are great books.  Please, try not to judge the list.  On a Practical note, I would suggest reading them in the order presented below.  I have not ranked them in order of preference, but rather, in the order I feel would be most beneficial to the reader.  Remember, fifteen minutes a day of good spiritual reading...not two hours today and none for the next two weeks...OUR LIVES CHANGE WHEN OUR HABITS CHANGE.
  1. BACK TO VIRTUE by Peter Kreeft. Published by Ignatius Press.
  2. LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK by Parker Palmer. Published by Jossey-Bass Publishers.
  3. THREE PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE by Peter Kreeft. Published by Ignatius Press.
  4. AS A MAN THINKETH by James Allen. Published by Barnes and Noble.
  5. HE LEADETH ME by Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J. Published by Ignatius Press.
  6. CONVERSATION WITH CHRIST by Peter Thomas Rohrbach.
  7. THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS by C. S. Lewis. Published by Collier Books.
  8. MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Victor Franki. Published by Simon and Schuster.
  9. THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON by Henri Nouven. Published by Image Books.
  10. ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE by Jean-Pierre De Caussade. Published by Image Books.

Finally, before you begin reading, it may be helpful to go back and read the chapter on spiritual reading in Rediscovering Catholicism.  May God bless you with a prayerful spirit, A peaceful heart, and a mind that yearns for truth.

Matthew Kelly
-published with permission from the author


 

 

  
 

 

Did you ever wonder about...

Traditional Lenten Foods?


  

  
  Believe it or not, the humble pretzel is actually Lenten Food.  First baked in the fourth or fifth century, the pretzel was invented partially as a result of the strict Lenten fasts of the time.  Faithful Christians used to give up all milk, butter, cheese, eggs and meat during Lent.  Eventually, tiny breads were baked using only flour, salt, and water to remind people that Lent was a time of fasting and penance.  The small rolls of dough were lengthened and then twisted into the shape of two arms crossed over a person's heart, because that is the way people used to pray, rather than holding their hands together like we do today.  These breads were called "bracellea" in Latin, meaning "little arms".  The Germans adapted the recipe and the name, and thus it has come down to us in English as "pretzel".  Some families place a pretzel on each person's plate throughout the meals of Lent while saying a short prayer, as a reminder of this ancient custom.

 Pretzel

  
  Hot Cross Buns

 The origins of the hot cross buns are even more uncertain than those of the pretzel.  They may have been used in various pagan cultures.  However they began, it seems that the British monks in Medieval England gave them their first Christian meanings.  Tastier than pretzels, hot cross buns are made with yeast and raisins or currants and are decorated with delicious white icing in the shape of a cross.  Traditionally they were served only on Good Friday, but today they can be found during the entire season of Lent.  Their fame lives on in popular children's song.



  
  Another very interesting Lenten food also comes from England; this is a type of fruitcake called a Simnel cake.  This was originally one of the gifts that children gave their mothers on Mothering Day.  This British holiday, which is centuries older than our Mother's Day in the United States, always occurs during Lent.  A simnel cake is always decorated with eleven small balls of almond paste, representing the group of apostles (without Judas) after the Crucifixion.  There are Lenten foods from other cultures as well... but probably the best known Lenten food in the United States is fish!  You may notice many local restaurants featuring fish on their February and March Menus, and you can sample some of the best at the K of C Fish Fry held from 4:30 to 7:30 every Friday in Lent.  No word yet on whether or not they'll be serving simnel cake for desert!



 Simnel Cake

  
 

 

 

  
  St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus, Ohio

 

The Diocese of Columbus Installs a new Bishop


    On Thursday, January 13, 2005, at St. Joseph Cathedral, the Most Reverend Frederick Francis Campbell, D.D., PhD. was installed as the eleventh Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus.  Our new bishop, born in Elmira, New York, comes to us from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, but he does have ties to central Ohio.  He taught history at Josephinum in the late 1960's, and he obtained both his Master's Degree and Doctorate in History from The Ohio State University.  at his installation, he accepted the crosier or staff that belonged to Bishop Rosecrans, the first bishop of Columbus, as a symbol of apostolic succession.  The crosier takes its shape from the crook used by shepards, and it is a sign of the ministry of bishops as shepherds of God's people.  As part of the flock, the people of St. Bernadette will have the honor of welcoming Bishop Campbell to our parish on March 5, 2005, when he comes to celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation.

  
 

 

 

  
 

 

Holy Week Service Schedule


Palm Sunday (3/12): Saturday at 4:30 P.M.
Sunday at 10:00 A.M. with Procession from Parish Hall

Holy Thursday (3/24): Mass of Lord's Supper at 7:30 P.M.
preceeded by Seder Meal at 5:50 P.M. in Parish Hall

Good Friday (3/25): Solemn Liturgy at 1:00 P.M.

Solemn Easter Vigil (3/26): Mass at 8:30 P.M. with Adult Choir

Easter Sunday (3/27): 9:00 A.M. with Children's Choir
11:30 A.M. with Cantor