February 28, 2021 Second Sunday of Lent

FEBRUARY 28, 2021 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

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PARISH CALENDAR & MASS INTENTIONS FEBRUARY 28, 2021

SECOND WEEK OF LENT

SUN. 28 Second Sunday of Lent

8:00 a.m. Mass (Patricia Bauer) CH

10:00 a.m. Mass (Dcn. Jim MacDougall) CH

11:15 a.m. Relig. Ed (RE) via zoom

12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass (St. Lawrence Parish) CH

7:00 p.m. Parish Mission CH

MON. 1

9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting AH

10:00 a.m. RCIA St. Francis, Parish Hall

12:15 p.m. Mass (Harry Metzger) CH

7:00 p.m. Parish Mission CH

TUES. 2

8:00 a.m. Mass (Dick Hahn) CH

9:00 a.m. Sunday Scripture Study via zoom

7:00 p.m. Parish Mission CH

WED. 3 St. Katherine Drexel

8:00 a.m. Mass (Dick Kanney) CH

School Children attend Mass

6:30 p.m. RCIA Noll Hall, St. Mary

THURS. 4

12:15 p.m. Mass at St. Francis

5:15 p.m. Mass at St. Mary

FRI. 5 First Friday

12:15 p.m. Mass (Gene Boros) CH

6:40 p.m. Our Lady of Sorrows Rosary CH

7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross CH

SAT. 6

8:15 a.m. First Saturday Mass at St. Mary

9:00 a.m. Church Cleaning

10:15 a.m. Breaking Open the Word via zoom

3:00 p.m. Confessions CH

4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass (Gloria Varner) CH

SUN. 7 Third Sunday of Lent

8:00 a.m. Mass (Patricia Bauer) CH

10:00 a.m. Mass (Dcn. Jim MacDougall) CH

First Scrutiny

11:15 a.m. Relig. Ed (RE) via zoom

12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass (St. Lawrence Parish) CH

Pastor’s Column …………… A Message from Fr. Underwood “5 Ways the Devil Attacks During Lent.” Several years ago, I found a beneficial article by Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP. In it, she presented some challenging points to consider during our Lenten journey. I thought you would find her words helpful too. “According to the Catechism, during ‘the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.’ So it makes sense that we might feel more temptation in this time as well. But God does not allow anything that he cannot use for good; he can even use temptation and attacks from the devil for our conversion, transformation and holiness.” “Here are some attacks that I have come to recognize and the responses that I have found helpful. Have you experienced any of these temptations this Lent?” 1. The Temptation to Distraction: “Lent can very quickly become about doing way too many things or nothing at all. The devil wants us to either drown in penances or feel discouraged right away and give up. The thing is that Lent should be about God, not our activities, as well-intentioned as they may be.” 2. The Temptation to Judge: ”If we are naturally more disciplined or strong-willed than those around us, there is a temptation to spend Lent patting ourselves on the back and comparing ourselves favorably to others. This is exactly what the devil wants. He wants us to think we are better than other people and to grow in pride, which is precisely what we should repent of during Lent.” 3. The Temptation to Self-Improvement: “Lent can very quickly become only about losing weight or ending some bad habit that has become an irritation in our lives, rather than growing close to God. And the devil would love for Lent to be all about us. But this is not what Lent is about.” 4. The Temptation to Division: “Division is one of the devil’s favorite tools in his toolbox. He just loves to get between Christians and cause rivalries, confusion, jealousies, anger, and paranoia. The devil wants us to look at other Christians and see the enemy rather than recognizing that the only real enemy among us is the devil (and ourselves when we let him work on us).” 5. The Temptation to Discouragement: “The devil likes nothing more than to make us as miserable as he is. And he knows that if we are feeling discouraged we are likely to be less cooperative with God’s grace. So, during Lent the devil can tempt us to feel like giving up on living the penitential spirit of the season. He can make us feel like we are constantly failing and just no good at this. The thing is – no one is “good” at Lent. If you think you are, you are not choosing the right penances.”

St. Lawrence Catholic Church http://www.stlawrencemuncie.com

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PARISH MINISTRIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Adult Faith Formation Column

(Sue Wilhelm)

PLEASE JOIN US!! PARISH MISSION

ST. LAWRENCE February 28-March 2

Guided by: Sue Wilhelm, D.Min., Adult Faith Formation Director

7:00 p.m. – in the church Jesus: The Water of Life

Whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty;

the water I give shall become a fountain within

leaping up to provide eternal life. Jn. 4:14

Please draw special attention to our Parish Mission, Jesus the Water of Life, that will be led by Sue Wilhelm February 28—March 2. The purpose of a Mission is to take time out of our everyday lives and stop to ponder the direction of our lives and where we are in relationship with Jesus Christ. The talks of the mission will be divided among 3 evening sessions each day at 7:00 PM. The Mission will be available both in person and via livestream. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday Scripture Study at 9:00am via ZOOM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86298800182 Scripture for next Sunday’s readings can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022121.cfm If you or someone you know is interested in RCIA, or has questions about joining the Church, please have them contact Sue at the office.

Every Wednesday at Noon: Prayer for Healing and for Health care providers during COVID. Please join us Livestream on St. Lawrence Facebook page to pray together for this intention.

Our Parish Mission and Vision

Mission: St. Lawrence Parish, a people of prayer

and service glorifying God. Vision: Through prayer and service,

St. Lawrence Parish deepens its love for and knowledge of God.

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Footprints Sewing Group The Annual Baby Shower to benefit First Choice for

Women and Project Gabriel will begin on February 13 and

conclude on April 3. Items needed are: Diapers, baby

wipes, crib sheets, washcloths, towels, bottles,

thermometers, and crib sheets. Donations can

be dropped off at church or the Rectory. Our

February meetings are the 11th and 25th at 9:30

a.m. in St. Agnes Hall. If you have any questions, please

contact Evela at (765)228-5348 or Jo Turner (765)282-

0170.

Please note our updated office hours:

Monday—Thursday: 9:00 AM—12:00 PM; 1:00-4:00 PM

Friday: 9:00 AM—12:00 PM

FEBRUARY 28, 2021 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

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Saint Lawrence

Catholic School

stlawrencemuncie.org

765.282.9353

Rob Frey, Principal: r.frey@stlawrencemuncie.org

Our mission is to provide a Catholic

Christ-centered education rooted in love and

compassion to prepare students to lead

meaningful lives of service

Wednesday, Mar 3 – 8:00 a.m. Mass

Friday, March 5 – 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Dan’s Fish Fry

Discounted tickets will be available for purchase in the

back of church after all Masses the weekend of

February 27-28. Tickets will also be sold at the event.

Beginning this weekend, confessions will be

heard in the confessionals under the choir loft.

The reconciliation room will be undergoing

renovations in the coming weeks.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

— Romans 8:31b

Sunday Religious Education (RE) This Sunday via zoom 11:15 a.m.

Muncie Catholic Middle School Youth Group Meetings are 3:30pm-5pm in St. Mary's Noll Hall Future Meetings: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and Wednesday, April 28, 2021 @Home in Faith Looking for ways to increase your family prayer life and knowledge of the faith? At Home in Faith is a program offered by our Diocese featuring a weekly topic relevant to our current Church calendar/season. The one-page handout and short video are designed to increase your family's faith and prayer life. The link is on our St Lawrence website under Parish Life/Formation/Family Catechesis and Youth Ministry. Recent topics include: 4 Ways to Avoid Temptation - February 21 How to Fast - February 12 Why are we encouraged to fast, and how should we go about it? What is Sin? - February 5 Why does the Church care about what we do?

The Vocation of the Family - January 28 What is the calling God has for all families?

Catholics and the Bible - January 22 What are the Sacred Scriptures and how do Catholics relate to them?

St. Lawrence Catholic Church http://www.stlawrencemuncie.com

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The next opportunity for Eucharistic Adoration will be

Sunday, March 21, following the 10:00 a.m. Mass until

evening devotions at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in

joining our ministry, please contact Marilyn Sherrill at

765-396-3583 or 765-744-4086.

STEPHEN MINISTRY Are you feeling exhausted from all the

disruptions to life brought on by the

pandemic? Are you or someone you know

struggling with challenges like: anxiety

over health; grief due to many different

kinds of losses; tension from juggling work, childcare;

financial strain or job loss? Our Stephen Ministers are

ready to listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional

and spiritual support. A Stephen Minister will meet with

you privately—by phone, by video chat, or, if safely

possible, in person—to offer care and support. It’s free

and completely confidential. For more info, call the

Parish Office (765-288-9223)

Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA)

Update as of February 21: Goal: $115,814; Number of

Pledges: 123; Dollars Pledged: $48,352. Paid: $28,919.

Thank you to all who have donated to this appeal or sent

in your pledge. You can still donate to this

appeal by placing your commitment card in

the collection basket on the weekend, drop off

at the Parish Office, or mail in the envelope

provided. If you have any questions, call the

Parish Office. You can also contribute online

at www.dol-in.org/CMA. Pledge cards are

available on the tables in the back of church if you did not

receive one.

Wednesday, Mar 3, 2021

MEMORIAL OF KATHARINE DREXEL We have work to do Katharine Drexel (1858-1955) is a saint for our time. Born into a successful Philadelphia banking family, she used her wealth to improve the lives of others. Her Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament devoted their lives to education of Native and African Americans, building more than 100 schools in cities, rural areas, and on reservations. Though Katharine and her sisters at times faced criticism, endured racist taunts, and were threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, they remained steadfast in their mission. Patron saint of racial justice and philanthropy, Saint Katharine epitomizes the sacrifice of the Blessed Sacrament. How will you commit your own life to making the world more just?

Applications are now available for the Knights of

Columbus Council 560 Scholarship. Two $1000

scholarships will be awarded to current high school

seniors or undergraduate college students. The

applications are available on the Knights of

Columbus website ( https://kofcmuncieindiana.com ).

An eligible candidate must be a member of a Catholic

church and a resident of Delaware County. For more

information contact Jim Cheslik at (765) 749-0315

(C) or (765) 286-3061 (H)

A support group is being formed in our pastorate for families of individuals who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The group will be lead by Pat Savage, LCSW and a member of St. Lawrence Church. If you are interested or think you would like to attend this worthwhile and supportive group, please contact Pat at savagepat462@gmail.com or 765-730-9811. Once we determine the number of people who may attend, a date and location for this group will be determined. Please respond by March 15, 2021.

SCHOLARSHIP

OPPORTUNITY

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TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading — The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in

faith (Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18).

Psalm — I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the

living (Psalm 116).

Second Reading — If God is for us, who can be against

us? (Romans 8:31b-34).

Gospel — Jesus was transfigured before them, and his

clothes became dazzling white (Mark 9:2-10). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997,

International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Dn 9:4b-10; Ps 79:8, 9, 11, 13; Lk 6:36-38

Tuesday: Is 1:10, 16-20; Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23;

Mt 23:1-12

Wednesday: Jer 18:18-20; Ps 31:5-6, 14-16;

Mt 20:17-28

Thursday: Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 16:19-31

Friday: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a; Ps 105:16-21;

Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

Saturday: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20; Ps 103:1-4, 9-12;

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32

Sunday: Ex 20:1-17 [1-3, 7-8, 12-17]; Ps 19:8-11;

1 Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25

Alternate readings (Year A): Ex 17:3-7;

Ps 95:1-2, 6-9; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8;

Jn 4:5-42 [5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42]

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Holy Father’s Prayer Intention

for March Sacrament of Reconciliation

Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of

reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite

mercy of God.

PRAYER REQUESTS Please remember the following parishioners in your prayers

this week: Sonja Bickey, Larry & Dorothy Tricker, Isaiah

Greiner, Joe Morgan, Miriam Walker, Adam Pence, Alex Pence,

Joseph Jenkinson, Clara Persinger, Martha Jean McIntosh,

Dorothy & Joe Duncan, Linda Goth, Shirley Jordan, Kameron

Kadinger, Lucille Kanney, Pat Daunt, Larry Rigel, Joyce Doyle,

Stacey Vencel, Richard Biehl, Ed Kratochvil, Mary Hadley,

Noah Cross, Mary Kerrigan, William Berger, Tia Lindsey,

Dixie Lindsey, David Duke, Bill Brown, Jimmy Hossom,

Kathleen Hossom, Paula Hughes, Helen and Ronny Fouts, John

Hartmeyer, Julie Coley Werling, Gary Pavlechko, Dan Wade,

Kathy Lewis, John Slivoski, Luisa Sanchez, Jake Ragala, Dixie

Modglin, Robynn Russell, Steven Russell, Kevin Farrell, Helen

Schmaltz, Sheila Henry, Gloria Frasier, Jim Frasier, Marsha

Clark, Adam and Claire Kobulnicky, Barbara King, All health

care workers, first responders and teachers, Lila Tweedy,

Charles and Rebecca Chandler, Karen Freiburger, JoAnn

Cargile, James McNeany, Tom Parkison, Judy Cool Beaty,

Larry Barnes, Julie Zvokel, Rita Brocki, Marianne Harris, Philip

Harris.

PRAYER CHAIN Please call Joan McKinley 716-7073 for the St. Lawrence Church Prayer Chain request.

Please pray for those serving our country in the military – especially: Benjamin Branson, William Cox, Jared Hargis,

Kyle & Leandra Long, Jon Powell, Stephen Smith, Kyle Stewart, Christopher Tolmachoff, Payden

Schug, and Matt Johns, Cley Parkison.

Pray for our priests, deacons and seminarians:

PRIESTS: Dcns/Seminarians Sun. Pope Francis Dcn Elliot Zak

Mon. Bishop Doherty Dcn Brian Freyberger

Tues. Bishop Emeritus Higi Dcn Mike Gray

Wed. Fr. Timothy Alkier Dcn John Jezierski

Thurs. Fr. Matt Arbuckle Dcn C. Jindrich

Fri. Fr. Derek Aaron Dcn Gary Kuenz

Sat. Fr. Sean Aaron Dcn. Paul Lunsford

Prayers are requested for the souls of Donna Ball

and Dale Goth who recently passed away.

May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Weekend of February 21, 2021

(Online included)

St. Lawrence Parish ……………………$10,175.00 Children’s Envelopes ……………………$ 60.00 School Support …………………………. $ 561.00 Family Assistance Fund …………………$ 10.00 Deacon’s Food Pantry ………………….. $ 1,271.00 Fuel Fund ………………………………. $ 522.00 2nd Collections………………………….. $ 102.00 Candles …………………………………. $ 52.01 The Catholic Moment ………………….. $ 628.00 Ash Wednesday ………………………… $ 615.17 TOTAL: $13, 997.18

Please consider online giving. Go to

www.osvonlinegiving.com/4289 or call the Business

Office at St. Lawrence 765-288-9223, Ext. 22 for

additional information.

St. Lawrence Catholic Church http://www.stlawrencemuncie.com

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MINISTRY ASSISGNMENTS FOR MARCH 6 AND 7 Readers Altar Servers E.M.H.C. Ushers

4:3

0 P

.M. Jack Greiner Jonathan Shaw Tayla Greiner Jerry Fink

Harold Hannon

8:0

0 A

.M. Maria Hart Eli Hart Della Gregory Joe McPherson

10:0

0 A

.M. Les Coutinho Tom Ward Omar Galan

Jeff Huff

PRAY FAST GIVE

What is Lent?

Lent is our time of preparation. We begin a 40-day journey of prayer,

fasting and almsgiving on Ash Wednesday to help us deepen our relationship with Christ.

Prayer: Deepens our relationship with God and helps us to reflect on our lives.

Fasting: Removes obstacles between us and God. Giving: Helps us serve those in need and live Jesus’

message of love.

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CRS (Catholic Relief Services) RICE BOWL Rice bowls are now available on the

tables in Church. HOW IS THE MONEY USED? Lenten alms go to alleviate hunger and poverty in communities overseas and in the U.S. Seventy-five percent of gifts support CRS’ humanitarian programs around the world. CRS Rice Bowl is Catholic Relief Services’ Lenten program for families and faith communities in the United States who want to put their faith into action.

Fasting & Abstinence

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For members of the Catholic Church, the norms on

fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When

fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Two

smaller meals may also be taken, but not to equal a full

meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are

binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church

from age 14 onwards.

HISTORY OF SALVATION The first reading today continues the “history of salvation” narrative that we hear throughout Lent this year. Today’s story was among the best-loved in the Jewish tradition (surely Joseph told the story to young Jesus as he formed him in the ways of their faith); the early fathers of the Church were very fond of it as a means of explaining the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The overall tone of the first reading, psalm, and second reading seems a little incongruous with the dazzling Gospel, until we remember that the Transfiguration was placed as the Gospel for this Sunday precisely to remind us of the glory that awaits those who live faithfully and obediently to the will of God. In the life of Jesus, it is a preview of the glory of his resurrection; for us it is a glimpse of the destiny of those who continue, as we heard in last week’s Gospel, to repent and believe in the Good News. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

FEAST OF FAITH: The Opening Prayer At the conclusion of the Introductory Rites of the Mass, the presider says or chants the words “Let us pray,” followed by the Opening Prayer. This prayer is also called a “collect” because it gathers or “collects” the prayers of the entire assembly into one. The Roman collects that we pray in our liturgy—noted for the brevity, clarity, and conciseness of the Latin originals—date from a variety of periods. Some are quite new; others reach back more than a thousand years. They are truly treasures of our tradition. The Opening Prayer can be divided into four main parts: 1) the invitation, or “Let us pray”; 2) the silence that follows, during which each member of the assembly lifts up before God his or her own prayers; 3) the collect itself, spoken or sung by the priest; 4) and finally the Amen, by which the assembly says, “yes,” “may it be so,” making the prayer their own. The collect itself almost always follows the same pattern. It begins with an invocation to God. A petition follows, usually very general. We ask for health, strength, wisdom, grace, forgiveness, faith, awareness. Every collect concludes by offering the prayer to God through Jesus Christ. With the Amen of the assembly, the Introductory Rites of the Mass come to an end. —Corinna Laughlin, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

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St. Lawrence Catholic Church http://www.stlawrencemuncie.com

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FEBRUARY 28, 2021 SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

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