Lent Is Almost Here!
Lent comes early this year; it begins this Wednesday, February 14, Valentine’s Day! We hope to have many special opportunities for faith formation, community life and spiritual growth in our six parishes. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of everything going on, I would like to suggest that you make special note of the following dates/events:
Wednesday, February 14th: Ash Wednesday
A day of fast and abstinence. Not a holy day of obligation, but Mass is a good kick-off for Lent! There are many Mass times scheduled throughout the six parishes.
4 Wednesday Evenings: February 21, 28, March 6, 13:
Evening Mass at St. Bart, followed by soup supper and faith formation. The first three of these Wednesdays, I will teach a Bible class on St. Paul and his writings. On March 13, we will do Stations of the Cross. (There will not be a 5th Wednesday Mass/Soup Supper this year because Wednesday, March 20 is the night of the Confession-a-thon, which will be held at St. Clare.)
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays all through Lent and Easter Season
12 Noon Mass at St. Vivian Church. This is a great opportunity for late risers and people with flexible lunch breaks to try attending weekday Mass. It is a great help to your faith relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Church!
Tuesday, March 12
Evening Taizé Lenten Prayer Service at St. Clare Church, 7:00pm. The music from this ecumenical monastic community in France has touched many hearts throughout the world over the last forty years. Darin Art and the St. Clare Choir and musicians will be leading us in the beautiful songs that touch on the Suffering and Death of our Lord. There will be a reception afterwards.
Wednesday, March 20
Confession-a-thon at St. Clare Church, 4:30-7:30pm. For those who have not attended one of these, I must recommend it as a convenient and beautiful way to go to confession and to pray for our own repentance and that of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: February 8, 2024
Printed in the Bulletin: February 11, 2024
CHRISTMAS THANK YOU!
I hope that you had an enjoyable and holy Christmas this year. We were blessed with better weather this year, and I found the celebrations very comforting and inspiring.
I thank all who were involved in the decoration and cleaning of all the churches of our family of parishes. I also thank all of our musicians and liturgical ministers. I realize that all of you work very hard to make Christmas special for your brothers and sisters in the faith. I also want to offer a special word of thanks to all who helped me with the Christmas display!
On behalf of myself, Fr. Haft, and Fr. George, I thank all who sent Christmas greetings, cards, and gifts.
May God bless us all with a safe, happy, and holy new year!
--Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: January 16, 2024
Big Christmas Crib Display at St. Bartholomew
As of this writing (on December 8th), there is a group of people working quickly to finish an expansive Christmas Crib display in the back corner of St. Bartholomew Church. I am one of those people. We hope our efforts will be an inspiration to all of us in our family of parishes, especially to any children or grandchildren who may come to see it. It is a creative endeavor that attempts to bring the viewer to that night in Bethlehem when our Lord Jesus Christ was born. It is based on the nativity stories in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew (and a touch of the prologue of John’s Gospel). I had put together a similar display with a few parishioners when I was at St. Joseph in North Bend, because I thought it would help people to meditate on the mystery of Jesus, the Eternal Word of God, being born as a man.
FACTS:
What? A crib display featuring the figurines and wooden creche normally displayed at St. Bart’s, but placed in the context of a large (30 feet long) landscape.
Where? In the back corner of St. Bartholomew Church. The crib was normally up in the sanctuary (which is not considered liturgically correct). We have moved it into the back, because it is not a liturgical display, but a devotional display. I chose to do this at St. Bart’s church for two main reasons: 1) There is plenty of room and a high ceiling in that church. 2) There is a school with over 400 children right across the parking lot. I have hopes of bringing St. Vivian school students up on buses to see it. In future years, if we decide to change the venue, the display could be modified and installed in any of the parish centers.
Why? I believe that the secularization of our society (and of Christmas) calls for a special display that tells the Christmas story.
When? We hope to have it completely installed and functioning (with the Baby Jesus in the manger!) Saturday, December 17. Since this is an evangelical effort and not a liturgical display, we will always put it up during Advent (for some of the people I am trying to reach, Christmas is over and done with by midnight Christmas Eve!) People are welcome to come and see it before and after regular scheduled Sunday and weekday Masses up through the Feast of the Epiphany (January 7th). We will have the church unlocked at least 30 minutes before any Mass, and leave it unlocked at least 30 minutes after Mass. I also plan to have some special evening viewing hours the week before Christmas. Watch the parish and family websites for times.
Who paid for this? Those of us who are working on it have donated all materials.
FEATURES:
- A 30-foot by 12-foot night sky over Bethlehem, made of royal blue felt and star sequins (even some constellations!).
- A “window into heaven”, where the sky is opened up to see the angels, singing and worshipping God most High.
- A scene with the Three Magi stopping by a fire in the mountains of Iraq, as they are on the way to Bethlehem.
- A 19-minute “Story of Christmas” recording, which gives my own brief version of salvation history with background music, followed by excerpts from the Gospel narratives, with some Christmas carols.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: December 8, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: December 17, 2023
Pastoral Leadership Team for our Family of Parishes
One of the directives in the Beacons of Light planning process is that pastors should name an official “Leadership Team” from among their parish staff members, to help them in the tasks of pastoral leadership. While all of the pastoral staff members help the pastors and have areas of leadership, the members of this smaller leadership team are to meet more regularly with the pastor and have some special responsibilities in directing and administrating our family of parishes.
I have recently made some decisions regarding this leadership team, and I am now pleased to announce them. As announced back in the spring, Kathy Rothschild will serve as our Director of Administration. I have now appointed our family’s Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Mrs. Randi Hom, to be Director of Evangelization. I am appointing Fr. Ron Haft as Director of Worship. Fr. George and Sr. Margie Niemer will be on the team as consultants.
There are two other leadership director roles to be filled: that of Love-in-Action (Sr. Margie has been acting in this capacity) and that of Stewardship. Please pray for me and for this team, as we work together to become one as a family, and eventually, one new parish community.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: October 24, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: October 29, 2023
October, the Month of the Holy Rosary
Poetry has been written about the month of October, about the beauty of its blue skies and orange leaves. In the devotional life of the Church, the month of October has traditionally been the “Month of the Rosary”, probably because of the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (formerly known as Our Lady of Victory) on October 7th.
The praying of the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been promoted for centuries by the Church. There are various stories and alternative histories proposed for its origins. The most important things about the Rosary (in my opinion) are: 1) It provides a regular time for prayer and meditation in our daily lives; 2) By the use, look and feel of the beads and crucifix, we are reminded of the love that Jesus Christ our Savior and the Blessed Virgin Mary (his mother and our mother) have for us; 3) Praying the Apostles’ Creed re-catechizes us in the basics of our Catholic Faith; 4) Praying the Our Father and Glory Be a half-dozen times helps to build and reinforce our faith and devotion to our Lord; 5) Praying the Hail Mary fifty-three times reminds us of Mary’s great faith, courage, humility and submission to God’s will; and 6) the four sets of Mysteries give us a program for meditation.
I am quite aware that this prayer might be better for some people at certain times in their lives than for others (the Sacred Liturgy is the universal, binding prayer program in the Church). I am also aware (from my own experience!) that not every Hail Mary is always filled with meditation. Sometimes I am happy if I can actually focus on two or three Hail Mary’s per decade! However, that is more than I would meditate on that mystery if I did not pray the Rosary!
As your pastor, I highly recommend trying (or re-trying) this prayer, perhaps building your meditations with Scriptural readings on each mystery. Our Faith and devotion always need nourishment, and this world always needs prayers!
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: October 11, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: October 8, 2023
Fr. Umberg's recorded message about Beacons of Light the weekend of September 9/10, 2023:
Posted to the St. Clare website: September 21, 2023
THE FIRST ANNUAL GRILL OUT & CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT FOR OUR FAMILY OF PARISHES WAS A ROUSING SUCCESS. THANKS TO ALL WHO ORGANIZED THE EVENT, PROVIDED SIDE DISHES AND DESSERTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE CORNHOLE CHALLENGE. LET THIS BE THE FIRST OF MANY FAMILY SOCIAL EVENTS!
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: September 12, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: September 17, 2023
Our Lady of Divine Providence Family of Parishes’
Grill Out & Cornhole Tournament
This is a personal plea from our pastor: Fr. Umberg is asking you to please consider coming to our first social event as a family of parishes next Sunday, September 10th at St. Bartholomew. Please see the flyer here. Hope to see you there!
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: September 1, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: September 10, 2023
WELCOME FR. LOUIS ANIN!
We have a special guest now living in Our Lady of Divine Providence family of parishes, Fr. Louis Anin. He is an African, a native of Ghana, one of the countries of the south-facing Atlantic coast of West Africa. Ghana, which is about 15% Catholic and many other Christians, is considered one of the most successful democracies in Africa. Fr. Louis (pronounced lwees, like the Spanish name “Luis”), has been sent by his bishop to study and obtain a master’s degree in Applied Spirituality and Pastoral Care at Xavier University. This will enable him to counsel and help heal people who have been spiritually wounded. While there is a Ghanaian Catholic community in Cincinnati (whom Fr. Louis has already met), his VISA allows him only to study, not to be employed in ministerial work. However, you may see him concelebrating Mass or occasionally filling in as a substitute at Mass or helping with Confessions.
Fr. Louis is fifty years old, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Kumasi, Ghana, and has been ordained for twenty years. He is now living in St. Vivian Parish’s rectory.
Fr. Louis’ tuition will be paid by his bishop (Xavier University has provided some scholarship). However, during his two years here, our family of parishes will be providing room and board and some other expenses for Fr. Louis. Transportation is an issue. For now, I am driving Fr. Louis to and from Xavier University a few times a week. We are looking for: 1) Some volunteers to be part of a rotation to provide this transportation (this semester, his on-campus classes are Monday and Tuesday evenings, 6:30-9:00pm), and 2) Someone to donate (or at least to give us a very good deal on) a good used car (Is there one in your family?). This is an important part of the mission of the Church, to share our resources and to help the Church grow strong in places where it is still relatively new and resources are scarce.
Please greet and welcome Fr. Louis, and please pray for him that his studies and his time here will be good for him and for the Church.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: August 31, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: September 10, 2023
Our New D.R.E.: Donna Booker
This spring and summer have been times of significant changes in the staffs of our parishes and in the newly forming common staff of the Our Lady of Divine Providence family of parishes.
Most recently, there has been a major change in our Religious Education staffing. With the departure of Julie Zinser and Claire Tenhundfeld, who served at St. Bart, St. Vivian and Assumption in the area of religious formation of children and adults, I have asked Donna Booker, who up until now has served only at St. Clare Parish in the areas of faith formation and stewardship formation of adults and directed their Parish School of Religion, to be the DRE (Director of Religious Education/Formation) of our entire family of parishes. She will direct the Parish School of Religion for all six parishes (the class sessions will be held in the Undercroft of St. Clare Church). She will also direct the sacramental preparation programs for First Communion and First Penance for children in all six parishes. She will also continue to provide adult faith formation programs which are open to the entire parish family (Sandy Hornbach, Deacon Gerry Flamm and Sr. Caritas will continue their adult education programs as they see fit). Donna will also run the RCIA for St. Clare and Assumption parishes (for now, Sr. Margie will run the RCIA for St. Bernard and Mother of Christ and Sandy Hornbach will continue to run the RCIA for St. Bart & St. Vivian). Please pray for Donna in this new and exciting role for our family of parishes. I thank you for your continued cooperation and patience as we continue to navigate this unification. May God bless you all.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: August 8, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: August 13, 2023
A Father’s Day Message:
This Sunday we celebrate Father's Day. In doing so, we honor the men who have a very important role in human society. Fathers are usually burdened with the responsibility of providing for most of the material needs of their children as they grow up. This burden often distances them in some ways from their children. They also often play the role of chief disciplinarian of their children, and they often are the ones who must bring the harshness and the dangers of the outside world to the attention of their children. These necessary roles of providing, discipline, warning and protecting are often rewarded with ridicule and disrespect by our modern society. So, I think we should take care to show our fathers respect, gratitude and love, on Father’s Day and every day.
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: June 13, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: June 18, 2023
The Body of Christ and You
Some History: This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, formerly known as the Feast of Corpus Christi (Latin for “Body of Christ”). This solemn feast was established in the Middle Ages by the authority of the Church to celebrate a miraculous possession of the Church: the real, personal presence of Jesus Christ in the Host, consecrated at the celebration of the Eucharist and received by the faithful, reserved in the tabernacle, or displayed in a special vessel known as the “monstrance” (the “shower”—because it would hold the host over the altar in about the same location as the priest would hold it to show the people during the Eucharistic Prayer). Thomas Aquinas, the famous Dominican Saint and Doctor of the Church was commissioned to write the special prayers for the feast (including the hymns, “Pange lingua gloriosi”, also known by the first two words of its second last verse, “Tantum ergo”, as well as “O salutaris hostia” and “Panis angelicus”).
A Change in Emphasis: With the research and theological reflection that led to the liturgical movement in the Catholic Church during the Twentieth Century, theologians put a new emphasis on the action of the Eucharist (that is, the action of the Church community, led by the priest, in giving communal worship of thanks and praise to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit). There was also a new emphasis on the assembly of the Christian faithful people as the Body of Christ, which we find in Sacred Scripture in some of St. Paul’s letters, and which was featured in Pope Pius XII’s encyclical Mystici corporis.
Either/Or? So then, what is the Body of Christ, is it the people of the Church as a community/assembly, or is it what looks like a wheat wafer or chalice of wine? And which is the real definition of the Holy Eucharist, is it an action of the people of God, or is it the Eucharistic elements which are consumed and adored by the faithful people? These questions (like many theological questions) are best answered with an inclusive both/and, rather than an exclusive either/or. Yes, we are the Body of Christ. Yes, the host we receive is the Body of Christ (and yes, every little crumb of it and every little drop of what is in the chalice is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ). Unfortunately, a polemic insistence on either/or has made many people deny, or at least forget, half of the truth. In fact, we must come together to be the Church (the word “Church” in the original Greek of the New Testament means congregation or assembly!). When the faithful gather for the Eucharist, they are not there just to occupy space, or to serve as an audience to watch the important actions of the priest. They are supposed to be there to give thanks and praise to God in Jesus Christ, to pray, to hear/experience His holy word as an assembly of committed believers, to offer their lives and good works in union with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ made present on the altar, and to receive His holy Body and Blood with a disposition of reverent adoration, as well as committed obedience to the Lord.
The Eucharist “to go”, or the Eucharist by the Internet?: While the Church has always provided “carryout” Eucharist to those who are sick, the expectation is that everyone who is able-bodied and not prevented by some very good reason should attend Mass, as a part of the assembly to receive Holy Communion as a present member of that assembly. For this reason, “Communion Services”, once promoted as a convenient way to receive the Body of Christ, are now criticized for undermining the full meaning of the Eucharist. During the covid-19 crisis, many people began to see restaurants as a place to go to pick up food, or from which to have it delivered to their homes. The Eucharistic Liturgy began to be seen by many as a live-stream or a recording to be enjoyed at one’s convenience, in the comfort of one’s home, maybe over a cup of coffee in a comfortable chair—no dressing up, no driving, no traffic, no parking, no weather, no finding a place to sit, no one singing or responding off pitch or with the wrong timing, and no trying to get out of the church parking lot. The temptation for many is to keep things this way, even though the crisis is over and they have returned to their other dining and social patterns. The “Sunday Mass Obligation” was suspended, for a very serious reason, but this reason has passed. I believe that the time has now come to recognize an obligation to God, to your soul (which needs the Body of Christ—according to Jesus Himself cf. John 6) and to the Church community, to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses, as a connected member (severed members do not survive) of the Body of Christ. May the Lord bless us with an appreciation of His Body!
Director of Administration Appointed for Our Lady of Divine Providence Family of Parishes
I have appointed Ms. Kathy Rothschild to be the Director of Administration for the six parishes of the Our Lady of Divine Providence family of parishes. Kathy is a Certified Public Accountant who has been heavily involved in administration as the Business Manager of St. Vivian parish for 24 years, and of St. Bartholomew for about 8 years. She has also been administering the shared expenses of our family of parishes since my arrival last July. These shared expenses are multiplying as various employees are transferred or hired to serve all six parishes. I am grateful for Kathy’s willingness to take on these new responsibilities. While this appointment is effective July 1, 2023, Kathy will remain Business Manager for St. Vivian and St. Bartholomew, and the business managers of the other parishes will continue their current responsibilities until the legal merger of the six parishes (probably about four years from now). For now, Kathy will be working with the other business managers, gradually familiarizing herself with their current accounts and procedures.
As the pastors of the Archdiocese carry out the Beacons of Light ministerial planning process, we have been asked to appoint certain staff members to function as a leadership team with the pastors. This leadership team will meet regularly and give advice and assistance to the pastor in the day to day affairs of the parish. While the pastor will remain at the top of the flow chart for each parish, members of this team will also supervise staff and volunteers at all parishes of the family within their field of responsibility. The other director roles which pastors are asked to appoint are: Evangelization, Worship, and “Love in Action” (charitable service and working for justice and peace).
― Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: June 9, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: June 11, 2023
A Salute to Mothers
Of all the vocations that are important and necessary for human beings to live truly human lives, I believe that motherhood is at the top. Like most worthwhile endeavors, it is done with sacrifice and pain. The nurturing that a woman gives as the baby begins to develop within her own body has a great impact on her very person. After the inconvenience and discomfort of pregnancy and the pain of giving birth, it is the mother who is the main giver of nutrition, love, care and character formation of the child during the early formative years and throughout life. Her self-sacrificing love is usually provided to her children far into adulthood, in many cases taken for granted by her children and society in general. Mother’s Day is a reminder to be thankful to the women who have answered God’s call to give life. Thank you, mothers! —Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: May 9, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: May 14, 2023
Distributing the Precious Blood to the Faithful
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has diminished to the point where extreme measures of caution are no longer required. In light of this, I believe that it is time to offer Holy Communion under both species (the Hosts and the Cup of Precious Blood) to the congregation at all Masses, beginning with the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). This feast falls the weekend of June 10/11, which will allow a few weeks for planning, recruitment, and training (and re-training) of extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. This will take a renewed commitment on the part of parishioners, to do this ministry faithfully. Please consider volunteering to prepare for and perform this ministry. More information to come. —Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: May 2, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: May 7, 2023
Welcome, Mrs. Randi Hom, our new Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry!
I am delighted to announce that Our Lady of Divine Providence family of parishes (formerly known as the S7 Family) now has a full time Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Mrs. Randi Hom.
The Archbishop has expressed a desire that every family of parishes be well equipped for evangelization and catechesis, especially for the young, the future of the Church. Randi comes to us as an experienced and well-trained youth ministry professional. Her office is located on the St. Bartholomew campus, but her ministry is for all youth and young adults of all six parishes. Welcome, Randi! (Please see Randi’s youth and young adult article linked here.) —Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: April 26, 2023
Printed in the Bulletin: April 30, 2023
DO YOU HAVE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE REGARDING WEBSITES?
Our Lady of Divine Providence Family of Parishes
(formally known as S-7) is seeking volunteers for our website committee.
Now that we have our new name, we’d like to start building an online “home” for Our Lady of Divine Providence parish family. This will be a place where we can share activities and announcements that pertain to our new parish family. We’re currently looking for members from each parish to form a team to work toward this goal. If you have experience with the technical aspects of website creation or ongoing website maintenance, we would love to have you as part of this team.
Please contact Bill Rocklin - Bill.Rocklin@gmail.com.
Posted to the St. Clare website: April 18, 2023
Printed as an insert in the Bulletin: April 23, 2023
WE HAVE A NAME!
After much deliberation and prayer, the Beacons Planning Council has decided on a name for our Family of Parishes, which will also serve (probably) as the name of the new parish we will form. The name is Our Lady of Divine Providence.
AN EASTER THANK YOU
Palm Sunday, the Easter Triduum, and Easter Sunday are beautiful celebrations of our faith. They are also events which require a tremendous amount of work by many people in each parish. I would like to thank all the staff and volunteers of St. Clare Parish who placed orders, took deliveries, arranged decorations (and rearranged decorations as the week went on), as well as those who volunteered for special roles in the liturgy (lectors, servers, singers, musicians, “foot washers”, etc.) A special thank you to Fr. George for happily agreeing to celebrate the Triduum at St. Clare this year. Thank you! Thank you! Alleluia! Alleluia!
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY—TODAY AT ST. BARTHOLOMEW CHURCH!
(FOR OUR FAMILY OF PARISHES AND BEYOND!)
The promise of eternal life from the resurrection of Jesus necessarily comes with a call to repentance and the promise of an outpouring of Divine Mercy, that we may be cleansed and healed from our sins. While Lent is a special season of repentance, this Feast of Divine Mercy provides another special opportunity to receive God’s Divine Mercy. For almost 25 years, there has been a tradition of a Divine Mercy celebration in the afternoon of the Sunday after Easter at St. Vivian, and later, St. Bartholomew Parish. We will have this celebration of the Lord’s Mercy this Sunday afternoon from 2:00 to 5:00pm. There is a prayer/speaker program, but during this entire time there will be several priests hearing confessions.
—Father Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: April 12, 2023
Printed as an insert in the Bulletin: April 16, 2023
Dear St. Clare Parishioners,
As we mentioned at Masses over the weekend, this week, Holy Week, is a very important week in the Church year. The Sacred Triduum (that is, the three most sacred high holy days of the Church) begins with Holy Thursday Mass, Thursday evening.
I urge you to consider coming to one or all of these ancient and beautiful ceremonies.
Here is a brief synopsis of each liturgy:
Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper (St. Clare: 7:00PM)
This liturgy goes about an hour and a half.
We begin with the tabernacle empty and the church specially decorated. During the Gloria, the bells are rung for the last time until Holy Saturday night.
After the homily, the priest and Parish Council members wash the feet of some volunteers, to imitate Christ’s own example of service at the Last Supper.
At the end of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament (that is the remaining hosts from communion) are paraded in a solemn procession around the inside of the Church and taken to a special shrine in church (known as a “repository”). The liturgy ends in silence, and the faithful are invited to remain as long as one hour at the candle-lit shrine, adoring our Lord on this anniversary of the Last Supper.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (St. Clare: 2:00PM & 7:00PM)
This liturgy goes about one full hour.
The Church is devoid of decoration and unnecessary furniture, and the tabernacle is empty. (The Blessed Sacrament is now stored in a place outside of the Church.) This starkness causes a feeling of desolation.
In the first part of the liturgy, the congregation reads the Passion of Jesus as told in the Gospel of John. This is done in parts like on Palm Sunday. Following this, solemn petitions are sung for the Church and for the world.
In the second part, the priest and people all come forward to make a gesture of reverence and adoration to the cross, which has been brought into the church for this purpose.
In the third part, the altar is set quickly and simply, and we share communion from the hosts that remain from Holy Thursday night. Good Friday is the one day of the Church year that the Eucharist is not celebrated!
After the 2:00PM Service, Stations of the Cross will be prayed for those who wish to stay.
Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil (St. Clare: 8:45PM)
By Church law, this liturgy must begin after sunset and goes approximately 2 hours. It fulfills the Easter Sunday obligation.
We begin by blessing a fire outside of Church and lighting the Easter candle from it. The people follow the Easter Candle into the dark church and light candles that they are holding, so that the whole church is filled with candle light as we go to our places in church. A special song of Easter praise is sung by Darin. Several Old Testament readings are read that tell the history of salvation. Each reading has its own special responsorial psalm.
After that the Gloria is sung with bells ringing inside and outside of Church. The Alleluia is sung for the first time since the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The Gospel is proclaimed and followed by a brief homily.
Baptisms and Confirmations are then performed for any converts to the faith.
The gifts are then brought up and the Liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated in solemn fashion. The Feast of Easter has begun for all participants in the Easter Vigil. Catholics are welcome to come to Mass again on Sunday morning.
If you have never been to one of these celebrations, I think it is a very good idea to go, at least a few times in life, if not every few years, or maybe every year. A great amount of effort is spent in preparing for and performing these ceremonies. These are ancient and beautiful ceremonies that involve the congregation in special ways, with movement around church and other special activities. Worship a little! Be a part of it!
--Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: March 29, 2023
Printed as an insert in the Bulletin: April 2, 2023
ANOTHER CONFESSION-A-THON
The S-7 Family of Parishes is having another Confession-a-thon, this time for Lent.
It will take place at Assumption Church in Mt. Healthy, on Tuesday, March 28th, 4:00 – 7:00 P.M.
For those who don’t recall what a Confession-a-thon is:
A Confession-a-thon is an event for the Sacrament of Penance, in which we have lots of confessions over an extended period of time. During this 3-hour event, we will have the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration and prayer, and beautiful Lenten music playing in the background, while at least two priests will be available for confession, sometimes more. While there is a communal dimension to this event, as all are invited to pray for each other before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, there is greater individual flexibility for the penitents to come and go and confess at the time most convenient for them, with little wait.
Let’s prepare to celebrate Easter. I hope to see you there!
-Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: March 16, 2023
Printed in Bulletin: March 19, 2023
SPECIAL LENTEN ACTIVITIES IN OUR S-7 FAMILY!
Lent is a special season in our spiritual lives. It is a time for us to repent from bad habits, to grow in discipline, knowledge of our faith and love of the Lord. It is also a time for almsgiving and service to our brothers and sisters in need. This Lent is also a time for St. Bartholomew and St. Vivian parishioners to help all of our people in the S-7 Family of parishes to grow in community by praying, learning and receiving the Sacraments together.
For the most part, each parish will maintain its own schedule of Lenten activities this year. However, there are several special opportunities for us to grow by new spiritual exercises as a larger community of Catholics who will be united into one parish in the future. Members of all six parishes are invited to participate in these special activities:
- 12 NOON Masses at St. Vivian Church on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays of Lent: Attending weekday Mass is a great way to grow in love of the Mass, your knowledge of the faith, and in the grace of Jesus Christ (by receiving His Body and Blood). Beginning on Ash Wednesday, there will be a weekday Mass every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Lent at St. Vivian. There will be minimal music at these Masses, so they will usually last about 30 minutes. (Assuming that these Masses are well- attended, we intend to continue these three extra Masses through the Easter Season (which ends this year on Memorial Day Weekend)). This will be the first of several experiments regarding a mid-day weekday Mass in our Family of parishes.
- Lenten Souper Wednesdays: On the evenings of the 5 middle Wednesdays of Lent (this year, that is all 5 Wednesdays of March), we will have Lenten Souper Wednesdays at St. Bartholomew Church. Each of these Wednesday evenings you are invited to (your choice of one, two or all three!):
5:30PM Mass ― minimal music, short homily (whole Mass finished in about 30 minutes) Location: St. Bart Church
6:00-7:00PM Soup Supper — (Yes, that is why we spelled it “Souper”—EEEEuuuuuwww!) Nothing really penitential, just fellowship and conversation with folks from our six parishes while we eat delicious soup. (Maybe YOU could sign up to make your favorite soup to be part of a homemade soup smorgasbord for one or more of the Wednesdays!). Location: St. Bart Activity Center (also known as the Krumpe Activity Center, or “KAC”—across the parking lot from church, on the high ground to the right of the school)
7:00-8:30PM Faith Formation Activity ― The first three Wednesdays March 1, 8, and 15), I will present my “Whirlwind Tour of the Bible”. We will get an overview of the whole Bible: some background information and then a mention of the basic contents of each book of the Bible in the context of the History of Israel and the Early Church. (We’ll move too fast for it to get boring!) Location: St. Bart Activity Center (also known as the Krumpe Activity Center, or “KAC”— across the parking lot from church, on the high ground to the right of the school)
On March 22, we will pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary together in Church at 7:00PM
On March 29, we will pray the Stations of the Cross together in Church at 7:00PM
Lent Confession-a-thon at Assumption: Instead of parish Lenten penance services, we will have an S-7 Family of Parishes Confession-a-thon at Assumption Church in Mt. Healthy, on Tuesday, March 28th, 4:00-7:00PM. –several priests hearing confessions for three hours, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration and beautiful Lenten music playing in the background.
--Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: February 22, 2023
Printed in Bulletin: February 26, 2023
RECOMMENDATION: THE GREATEST YOUTUBE VIDEO EVER!
Well, maybe not the best video ever, but the greatest speech by a talented young man giving witness to the Gospel for today’s youth (people 40 and younger).
Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus on “The Chosen” (a tremendously well-done and wildly popular television series about the New Testament), speaks about his faith and his pro-life stance at a pro-life rally this past weekend.
Here is the link: https://youtu.be/IYY2-wf-cl0
--Fr. Umberg
Posted to the St. Clare website: January 25, 2023
Printed in Bulletin: February 5, 2023