Coffee and Donuts - There will be coffee and donuts today after the 10am Mass. All are welcome to join us.
Fr. Berg Visit - On Sunday, April 30, Father Berg, Superior General of the FSSP will be visiting us. He will be happy to meet with everyone following each Mass. You are encouraged to come to the Social Hall for light breakfast items following both Masses.
Weekday Mass Schedule Note - There will be no Masses this week on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (April 25, 26 or 27). Father will be away attending the FSSP spring meetings these days.
May 13 - Rosary - On May 13, the 100th anniversary of Our Lady’s appearance to the three children of Fatima, we will have a brief meditation after the 9:00am Mass. Immediately following the meditation we will pray a Rosary in the park across Front Street.
Mother’s Day Carnations - On May 14 after both Masses, carnations will be offered for a donation. The proceeds will benefit two pro-life organizations in our area: Pennsylvanians for Human Life and Undefeated Courage.
Catechism Classes Resume - Catechism Classes resume today, April 23.
Special Dates
Easter Duty - Every Catholic has the obligation to receive Communion at least once per year during Eastertide which continues through Trinity Sunday. In addition every Catholic is required to go to confession at least once per year.
Hospital Emergency Visits - For People who are not Parishioners - Oftentimes, when there is a hospital emergency, there is confusion about what to do. Every hospital in the area has a priest on call to give the sacrament of Extreme Unction (Also called Anointing of the Sick, or Last Rites.). If there is a dying family member who is not a parishioner of Mater Dei’s in need of the sacrament, please ask the nurse or staff member to call for the priest on call. For a dying parishioner, always call the Mater Dei priests.
Divine Mercy Sunday - Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. We will recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy shortly after both Masses. Pamphlets with the prayers of the chaplet can be found in the back of church.
A plenary indulgence can be gained under the usual conditions (Confession, Holy Communion and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father) by those who on the Sunday after Easter “in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy.”
~ Decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary
Christ’s Manifestation after the Resurrection Showed that His Person was Essentially the Same as Before
And then there followed many proofs, whereon he authority of the Faith to be preached through the whole world might be based.
And although the rolling away of the stone, the empty tomb, the arrangement of the linen cloths, and the angels who narrated the whole deed by themselves fully built up the truth of the Lord’s Resurrection, yet did He often appear plainly to the eyes both of the women and of the Apostles not only talking with them, but also remaining and eating with them, and allowing Himself to be handled by the eager and curious hands of those whom doubt assailed.
For to this end He entered when the doors were closed upon the disciples, and gave them the Holy Spirit by breathing on them, and after giving them the light of understanding opened the secrets of the Holy Scriptures, and again Himself showed them the wound in the side, the prints of the nails, and all the marks of His most recent Passion, whereby it might be acknowledged that in Him the properties of the Divine and Human Nature remained undivided, and we might in such sort know that the Word was not what the flesh is, as to confess God’s only Son to be both Word and Flesh.
Sermon of St. Leo the Great