Coffee and Donuts - All are invited to the Social Hall today after the 10:00AM Mass for coffee and donuts. Access through door via the side alley.
Men’s Lenten Silent Retreat - We will offer a silent retreat for men on Saturday, March 5. The retreat will begin at 8:00am with Adoration / Mass and will include conferences given by Fr. Eichman, Confession, Stations of the Cross and periods of time for silent prayer. This will be a silent retreat, so leave your phones at home. Arrangements are being made for breakfast and lunch. In order to register, contact the church office by email at contact@MaterDeiPA.com. Registration fee of $15 per person. The retreat is open to people 18 or older. Any persons under 18 who would like to attend should contact Fr. Eichman.
Annual Lenten Appeal - The Bishop's Annual Lenten Appeal is underway. The pledge cards are in the back of the Church on the piano. There are blank cards available for those who do not have a printed card. Please fill out the pledge card and place it in the Collection basket or mail it to the Office. Our Diocesan Assessment this year is $10,000. The community must cover this amount. Anything in excess remains with Mater Dei.
Parish Registration Forms - If you are not a registered member of Mater Dei and would like to become one, registration forms are located in the church entrance, or on our website. Being registered makes one a more full recipient of the graces of the Masses (such as the “Pro Populo” Mass which is offered for the community members each Sunday) and prayers offered by the priests every day. Also remember that the chaplain and assistant chaplain have the grace of state to guide in particular those who are their parishioners.
Laws of Fast and Abstinence - At the back of the church are the traditional and current laws of fast and abstinence. Please take one. Note that under the current laws of the Church, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of Fast and Abstinence. Additionally, every Friday in Lent is a day of Abstinence.
Stations of the Cross - Stations of the Cross will be said in the church every Friday during Lent.
Flowers for Easter - Please remember that an envelope for Easter Flowers is included with your weekly offering envelopes to help defray the cost of the Easter flowers. Thanks for your generosity.
Hand Missals For Sale - Beginning next week the 1962 Daily Hand Missal will be available for purchase in the church office for $60. We will offer the Missal published in 2008 by Baronius Press in association with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
St. Tarcisius Meeting - Our next St. Tarcisius Meeting is Saturday, March 5th at 5:00pm. The group is for children ages 5 – 12 and meets monthly in order to teach the children to meditate. Each meeting includes a short, priest led meditation, the rosary, and a potluck dinner. Meetings are the 1st Saturday of the month from 5-7pm. For information concerning our March meeting please contact us at SaintTarcisiusGroup@MaterDeiPA.com
Sacramentals for Expectant Mothers - There are certain Sacramentals in the Roman Ritual through which we request God’s blessing that an expecting mother can have a safe delivery and also the grace of having her child baptized. The priests would be happy to provide the following to any expecting lady at her request. Please do not hesitate to ask.
Can be given at any time during pregnancy.
To be taken home and burned, and especially when the time of delivery approaches.
Special Holy Water which can be sprinkled, used to bless oneself, drunk, or used in small amounts in cooking.
Holy Week Schedule 2016
Palm Sunday
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday
Easter Sunday (Regular Sunday Schedule)
There will be the traditional Holy Thursday devotion of having adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass until Midnight. This is the day Our Lord suffered in the Garden after the Last Supper when He asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him. At midnight the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the church to represent Our Lord’s arrest and imprisonment.