Dear St. Charles Parishioners:
"Christ
to shield me today
against poison, against burning
against drowning, against wounding.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me."
These words from St. Patrick's Breastplate capture the risk and insecurity
of his life in the 5th century, and ours in the 21st century. Patrick
brings to us our only ultimate security, faith. We can choose to live
in the house of fear guarding ourselves with duck tape and more terrifying
armor or we can live in the house of faith relying on the instruments
of peace, dialogue and love.
Our Pope has sent an envoy to our President and a Lent appeal to all
Catholics seeking peaceful means of resolving conflict. He wants us
to associate our Lenten fast and prayer with the cause of peace. Please
review our website for papal and episcopal statements.
In our prayers are our own military, other public service workers
and all innocent civilians whose lives are in peril.
"God's eye
to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
PARKING
Please cooperate with our parking lot attendants and ushers as they
are trying to accommodate EVERYONE! We ask you for patience as our community
center construction continues. Midas will tow if you park at any time
other than Sunday!
EASTER FLOWERS
Donations and intentions are now being accepted for Easter Flowers.
You may drop your donation, with the name of the persons you are remembering,
in the collection basket during Mass or stop by the Parish Office. Please
remember to mark your envelope "Easter Flowers". Thank you.
OPERATION RICE BOWL
In today's Gospel, we learn about Jesus' miracle of raising Lazarus
from the dead. Through your participation in Operation Rice Bowl, you
lift up those who suffer from despair and hunger, and you give them
hope for new life, just as Jesus rose Lazarus to new life. Your Operation
Rice Bowl offerings may be dropped off at the Parish Office during Holy
Week or at the end of the Lenten season. Through Operation Rice Bowl,
we are challenged to think beyond our own immediate communities, beyond
our borders, and beyond our selfishness to embrace those who are most
in need. Thank you for your generosity.
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2003:
7:30 George Henry by Neal & Sheila Dyer
9:00 Mildred Weaver by her husband
11:00 Michael E. McFadden & Linda Raisovich by Maureen McFadden
1:00 Nelly Cervantes by Maria y Jorge Alvarado
6:00 Parishioners
Readings: Genesis 22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18; Romans 8:31b-34; Mark 9:2-10
Monday, March 17, 2003:
9:00 Guido & Elsie DiGiammarino by Joseph Frascone
7:30 (Arlington Detention Center) for the Inmates
Readings: Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38
Tuesday, March 18, 2003:
9:00 Col. Ray Wellde (L) by Col. & Mrs. John V. Rowan
Readings: Isaiah 1:10,16-20; Matthew 23:1-12
Wednesday, March 19, 2003:
9:00 John Pelley by Joanne McGlinchy
12:00 Georgina Prieto by Susana Moncayo
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a,12-14a,16; Romans 4:13,16-18,22; Matthew
1:16,18-21,24a
Thursday, March 20, 2003:
9:00 Bridget Gabrielle Rodriguez
Readings: Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 16:19-31
Friday, March 21, 2003:
9:00 Andy Conk by Amanda Lepof
Readings: Genesis 37:3-4,12-13a17b-28a; Matthew 21:33-43,45-46
Saturday, March 22, 2003:
9:00 Mrs. Alvira Meighan by John & Suzi Austin
5:00 Anna Mizwicki by Camille Burruto
Readings: Micah 7:14-15,18-20; Luke 15:1-3,11-32
PLEASE PRAY FOR
Please remember to keep in your prayers, those who are sick and
those who suffer, especially: Connor Cozoli, Andrew Trombly, Diane Herbst,
Joan Hittle, Hilda Britt, Claire Williams, Pat Hill, Irene Widlitz,
Marion Corcoran, William Frederick, Celia Coronado, Lucila Reyes and
James Edwards, Jr. Let us also pray for those who have died: Andres,
Marina and Teodulo Castro, Joseph Foin and Margaret Niland.
SOCIAL JUSTICE NEWS
"Just as a century ago it was the working classes which were oppressed
in their fundamental rights…Today there exists a great multitude
of weak and defenseless human beings, unborn children in particular,
whose fundamental right to life is being trampled upon."
SPONSOR OF THE WEEK: Our thanks to Ireland's
Four Courts for their support.
RESPECT LIFE MINISTRY
For all Bishops: that their love for the sheep whom the world has forgotten
might strengthen and form us; We pray to the Lord.
300 CLUB
1st prize: Mr. Mrs. William Burke; 2nd Fran Hobbs, 3rd Thomas J. Schlageter.
Thank you to all our members for their continued support of the children
of St. Charles School. If you wish to join the fun of being a 300 Club
member, please contact the school at 703-527-0608.
CLUSTER DINNER
A reminder to the parents of 5th and 6th graders at St. Charles School
that a PTO-sponsored "Cluster Dinner" will be held on Friday,
March 21st from 7-9 PM in the School Cafeteria. Return the RSVP forms
sent home by your child's teacher and come join other parents/teachers
for wine & hors d'oeuvres and a home-cooked meal - all without the
kids! Free childcare will be provided in the Kindergarten classroom.
Call the School Office at 703-527-0608 for more information.
YOUNG ADULTS C'YA NEWS
St. Charles' Young Adults (C'YA) invites all young
adults to our monthly Sunday Night Social to be held on March 16 at
7:00 PM in the School Cafeteria. We'll play trivia games, bake cookies
for the Kairos prison ministry
as a service activity, and have dinner. Please bring $4-$5 dollars to
defray food costs. Come see what our group is all about. Call Nick at
703-276-2711 or email him at nbaric67@msn.com
if you have any questions. Also stay tuned for the C'YA town hall meeting
on Sunday March 30th - we want your input!
C'YA DAY RETREAT
Join C'YA for a day retreat at the Joshua House in Lothian, MD (approximately
1 hours way) on March 22nd. there will be two talks in the morning and
1 in the afternoon with time for personal reflection and small group
discussion. We will meet at St. Charles at 8:30 AM to Carpool and will
return around 5:00 PM. The Cost is $30.00 RSVP, please contact Stacy
Lucas at 703-822-0797 or Tita Ponce Aponce99@yahoo.com.
CARNAVAL BEARS FRUIT FOR HAITI
Thanks to the generosity of those who attended the Carnaval on March
1, the Haiti Committee made almost $2,000 for our sister parish in Gros
Marin and Cavaillon, Haiti! More on St.
Charles' mission in Haiti, Nos amis!
IN OUR PARISH
RCIA
This weekend at the 9:00 AM Mass we pray with those adult Candidates,
already one with us in Baptism, who continue towards the Easter Sacraments
of Eucharist and Confirmation. Please keep them in your thoughts and
prayers. Next weekend at the 9 AM Mass, we will celebrate the "1St
Scrutiny" for the Elect (unbaptized) who are preparing for initiation
at the Easter Vigil. (The 2nd Scrutiny is on 3/30 and the 3rd and final
Scrutiny is on 4/6.
NOTE: The Sunday readings for
the 9 AM Mass on the 3 Scrutinies are taken from Cycle A). The Scrutinies,
also called "major exorcisms", are among the most ancient
prayers in the Christian liturgical tradition and call these Elect to
turn away from all that is evil in preparation for the powerful waters
of Baptism. Your prayers and support are important for our sisters and
brothers who have been journeying for so many months towards the sacraments
of Christian initiation. Come celebrate and pray for and with them.
KEEP CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY DURING LENT
Visit your parish website, www.stcharleschurch.org, during Lent to keep
connected to your faith community. Find out what spiritual
opportunities await you at St. Charles, read a Fr.
Creedon homily you may have missed, join
one of our email lists, or find out who's
saying Mass next week. Please don't give us up for Lent! Check out
what's new this week.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Borromeo Housing is hosting
a Grand Open House on Saturday, March 29 from 4 to 8 PM at 111 North
Cleveland Street in Arlington. Please join us for good food, beverages
and live music. Make a donation and win a prize at the raffle. Also,
tour the lovely new home built by fellow parishioner Joe Blackburn,
and meet BHI's board members and staff. We hope you can stop by.
TUESDAY NIGHT LENTEN SOUP SUPPERS
During the Lenten season on Tuesday evenings, St. Charles will once
again be hosting Soup Suppers in the cafeteria. Following the supper,
the Social Justice Committee will present a discussion series entitled
"Life with Dignity" in the Church.
We are asking the community to make their wonderful soups and breads
(please bring your soups in pots ready to heat and serve). If you do
not have the time to make soup or bread, donate the cost of what you
would spend eating out that evening. All proceeds will go to the Philippine
Medical Mission.
Soup Suppers will begin on March 11th and continue through April 8th
(6pm - 7pm in the Cafeteria).
FEATURE (REQUESTED) SOUPS ARE:
¨ Tuesday, March 11 - Chicken/Turkey Noodle
¨ CANCELLED ON Tuesday, March 18
¨ Tuesday, March 25 - Any Cream Soup
¨ Tuesday, April 1 - Chef's Choice
¨ Tuesday, April 8 - Any Vegetable Soup
¨ Tuesday, April 15 - Chef's Choice
If you would like to help with the soup suppers or to donate soup,
please contact Jan Prisco 703-876-1937 or Anne Biedscheid 703-243-2386.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays during Lent.
COLLECTION INFORMATION
· Last Week's Collection (March 9, 2003) was $17,820.50.
· Last Week's Tithe of $1,639.21 was for the Philippine
Medical Mission.
· Last Week's 2nd Collection of $3,384.00 was for the Black &
Indian Mission.
· This Week's Tithe is for St. Martin de Porres Senior Center.
· Next Week's Tithe is for St. Charles Outreach.
