Author: Dan Brass

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

February—March—April 2023

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Welcome to Lent!
Every year we are called to a renewal of mind, heart and spirit. We call this renewal, Lent, a time to put on in a more concentrated way the “good works” of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three “pillars” of Lent draw us into a deeper understanding of who we are; that is, a baptized and faithful follower of the Lord. They urge us to repent and return, to reconcile and renew ourselves once again in the spirit of Christ!
The Old Testament prophet Joel’s words on Ash Wednesday stand at the head of this season as a bold reminder to put aside our selfish ways and to put on Christ. Joel writes, “Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord your God. For gracious and merciful is he.”
Paul also writes that we are “ambassadors for Christ” and that means working together for the grace of salvation.
And Matthew joins in the call on Ash Wednesday to tell us the HOW to rend our hearts, HOW to be ambassadors when he writes, “When you pray, when you fast, when you give alms.” These are not just some “nice’” things we do, but are essential elements of our baptismal identity and confirmational character. We must engage in these “pillars” of Lent here and now!
Here at St. Mary and with the benefit of technology there is MUCH available to guide , encourage and inspire us to put on Christ in a more intentional way in Lent. Walk with Jesus these 40+ days and come to know him a little better. You know and I know, and we all know, He wants to be in our life. So take up the call to find in Him a faithful companion these holy days of Lent. Treat yourself to more intense prayer, a dedication to fasting and a commitment to serve in charity.
Walk with Jesus these days and let us together become ambassadors of Christ!
Father John

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Daily Reflection Books for Lent

Becoming Instruments of God’s Peace
Lenten Reflections on St. Francis’ Peace Prayer
Peace is the harmony of living together in right relationships. The Bible contains God’s guidelines for how a community is meant to live in harmony with God and one another. St. Francis wrote a prayer to remind his followers of their goal to become instruments of peace. His prayer offers us a way to use our Lenten time to reflect on how we all might become instruments of peace.
The Word Among Us
Praying with Jesus This Lent
Daily Scripture readings, prayers from the Liturgy,
stories and reflections for each day of Lent
Renew YOUR HEART
Daily Reflections on the 2023 Readings for Mass
Daily Lent 2023 Calendar is available
CRS Rice Bowls are available
Various Bulletin Inserts throughout the Season
holy moments by Matthew Kelly
A Handbook for the Rest of Your Life
Holy moments is profoundly simple, astonishingly practical, and once you discover it, your life will make sense. It’s time to pick it up!!

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St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Thursday Nights at St. Mary’s for Lent

Women’s Group
FEARLESS: This 7 Week Video Series featuring Chris Stefanik will accompany you on your Lenten journey. Time and again the people of God are called to be “courageous” and to “be not afraid.” Yet, we live in a time where fear seems to guide our very existence.
Don’t miss this exciting series with a special guest each week as we seek to follow Jesus in the wilderness of Lent.
Thursdays of Lent: 7:00pm Fr. Garrity Center
Men’s Group
Continues weekly discussions focusing on the Gospel Reading.
Thursdays of Lent: 7:00pm Fr. Garrity Center
Fr. Bob Cole Series: Jesus’ Hidden Years
While the Gospels tell us a lot about Jesus’ life, they do not tell us much about his first 30 years. Other than the accounts of his birth, we find very little in the New Testament about what he did and how he lived in the years before he began his public ministry. And while many wish we knew more, we actually do.
Join Fr. Bob and come to know and understand a lot about Jesus’ hidden years, before he began his public ministry.
Thursday March 16th, 7:00pm Church

February 22nd through April 2nd

Unite with hundreds of other cities around the world for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history: the 40 Days for Life campaign. Recognizing that “with God all things are possible,” people of faith are praying that this effort will help bring an end to the tragedy of abortion.

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

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Tuesday
St. Adalbert 9:00am—6:15pm
Mary Queen of the Apostles 8:30am —12 Noon Divine Mercy Chaplet
St. Mary of the Falls 7:00pm—8:00pm
Wednesday
St. John Neumann 8:00am—5:45pm
Thursday
St. Mary Berea 9:30am—6:30pm Benediction
Friday
St. Clarence 9:00am—9:00pm
Perpetual Adoration
St. Joseph Strongsville Chapel

The Church instructs us about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, saying: In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord.
“The Catholic Church . . . reserves the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing the Blessed Sacrament for solemn veneration of the faithful . . . [Paul VI, MF 56] (CCC, 1378).
We should deeply desire many opportunities to spend time with our Lord. A whole hour is not necessary for our time with the Lord to be meaningful. Perhaps a visit even for a short time. Kneeling before Him and pouring out our hearts melts away our concerns and fears. Nourished by His love, we leave with grace, renewed hope, and peace.
Plan to make time with the Lord this Lent!

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Behold, I make all things New

The National Eucharistic Revival has a mission to “renew the Church by enkindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,” as stated on the initiative’s website.
Sponsored by the U.S. bishops, the revival aims to inspire people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist. Here is all you need to know about the National Eucharistic Revival:
What is the Eucharistic Revival?
The Eucharistic Revival is a three-year initiative that aims to inspire, educate, and unite. In a world where not many people know Jesus intimately, the revival is meant to show everyone what wonders the True Presence of Jesus can do to heal the soul. Through a carefully planned timeline of events, after three years, the U.S. bishops hope to change the lives of many Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
As the campaign organizers say on the revival’s website, those who have been “healed, converted, formed, and unified” by the Eucharist have a mission to teach others “for the life of the world.” This is what the National Eucharistic Revival envisions for the future of this movement.
The current world is hurting and straying far from God. According to Pew Research Center, only 31% of Catholics even believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It is up to that 31% to spread the truth to all. As the revival website says, “We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith — his Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist.”
The National Eucharistic Revival is a powerful, uplifting way to rise to this challenge.

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

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St. Mary Parish Eucharistic Adoration
Sunday, March 12th, 2023

On Sunday, March 12th, at the 11:30am Mass, we will open our Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration. These holy hours are offered to us as a time for us to be in silence and in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
Everyone is invited to return to the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist. Join in prayer on Sunday March 12th in devotion and prayer for a renewed spirit of love of the Lord in the most holy presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
11:30am Mass
12:30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
12:30—5:00pm Silent Adoration
5:00pm Closing Benediction Service

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

‘Bessie’s Angels is a nonprofit organization, with a mission to nurture, empower, educate and to provide low-income housing to young women touched by the foster care system. Many of us cannot imagine not having a place to call home. We cannot imagine frequent movement from house to house or imagine waking up one day and losing the family we had once relied upon. Every child deserves a Champion.’
Make your Lenten almsgiving a DONATION to Bessie’s Angels. Items needed are bedding, towels, toiletries, cleaning products, space heaters and always Gift Cards to Aldi, Giant Eagle, Walmart, Target and Amazon. Check out the Flyer in the Bulletin or on the website for Collection on March 18th—19th!
Your donation will make a difference!

Bessie’s Angels
Helping young women impacted by Foster Care

St. Mary Adult Series for Lent

This program is about everyday disciples discovering who Jesus REALLY is, who we are, and how together we help to renew the Church and our community.
Our guide for the journey is Deacon Tom and those who have helped evaluate and assemble the team have seen an awakening in one’s relationship with Jesus already.
Come and join this journey on the Sundays of Lent!
February 26, March 5th, 12th,19th and 26th.
Each night begins with a free, light meal at 5:30pm and the session includes a presentation, conversation and prayer on the following: What is God’s story? Discovering our own story. How can we walk this journey together? Where is my story going?
Come to one. Come to all. Child care is available. Call the Office.
Pray as WE WALK WITH JESUS!

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Fasting and Feasting
Fast from judging others; Feast on Christ in them.
Fast from wanting more; Feast on being thankful.
Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
Fast from worry; Feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; Feast on enjoyment.
Fast from negatives ; Feast on positives.
Fast from stress ; Feast on prayer.
Fast from anger ; Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self concern; Feast on compassion for others.
Fast from fear; Feast on truth.
Fast from discouragement ; Feast on hope.
Fast from gossip; Feast on silence.
Fast from fighting: Feast on peace. Amen.
Adapted from a Lenten Prayer by William Arthur Ward

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What to GIVE UP What to DO?

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Parish Confessions
Saturdays of Lent 2:30pm—3:30pm
February 25, March 4, 11, 18, March 25, April 1
And always by appointment.
Call the Parish Office.
Diocesan Wide
Evening of Individual Confessions
March 8th from 5pm-8pm
Parish Penance and Absolution Service
Sunday April 2, 2023 at 7pm

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

St. Mary Church
Lent 2023

Stations of the Cross

Fridays of Lent 7:00pm in Church
February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem which is a traditional processional route symbolizing the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. The objective of the stations is to help the Christian faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ. It has become one of the most popular devotions.

Stations of the Cross Booklets are available at the side Altar.

St. Mary Parish
250 Kraft St. Berea, OH 44017
Phone - (440) 243-3877 Fax - (440) 891-9417
www.stmaryberea.org

Palm Sunday + April 2nd
Mass: 4pm Saturday (Live Streamed)
7:30am, 9:30am & 11:30am Sunday
Penance & Absolution Service 6:30pm Sunday
Wednesday of Holy Week + April 5th
Tenebrae Prayer of Lamentations: 8:00pm
Holy Thursday + April 6th
NO Morning Mass
St. Mary School Prayer Service: 10:00am
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 7:00pm
Good Friday + April 7th
NO Morning Mass
Passion of the Lord: 3:00pm
Holy Saturday + April 8th
Food Blessing & Midday Prayer: 1:30pm
NO CONFESSIONS / NO 4:00 pm MASS
Solemn Easter Vigil: 8:45pm
Easter Sunday + April 9th Resurrection of the Lord
Mass: 7:30am, 9:30am (Live Streamed) & 11:30am

Printed 2023

“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land...” (Ezekiel 22:30)
In 2015, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted issued a challenge to the men of his diocese -- to step into the breach. His exhortation, Into the Breach: An Apostolic Exhortation to Catholic Men, identifies the crisis of faith facing the Church today and presents a vision of the role of Catholic men in combatting it. Inspired by Bishop Olmsted’s vision, the Knights of Columbus and the Diocese of Phoenix have joined together to produce a 12-episode video series, also titled Into the Breach. each episode focuses on a different aspect of authentic Catholic masculinity and features interviews with well-known Catholic commentators and follows the personal story of a man whose life illuminates each theme. Join us starting Thursday, February 4th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Each week we will take up a new topic:
Masculinity
Brotherhood
leadership
Fatherhood
Family
Life
Prayer
Suffering
Sacramental Life
Spiritual Warfare
Evangelization
The Cornerstone
For more information and further reading, visit the Into the Breach page on the Knights of Columbus website. John Mastandrea jmastandrea@stmaryberea.org.

“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land...” (Ezekiel 22:30)
In 2015, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted issued a challenge to the men of his diocese -- to step into the breach. His exhortation, Into the Breach: An Apostolic Exhortation to Catholic Men, identifies the crisis of faith facing the Church today and presents a vision of the role of Catholic men in combatting it. Inspired by Bishop Olmsted’s vision, the Knights of Columbus and the Diocese of Phoenix have joined together to produce a 12-episode video series, also titled Into the Breach. each episode focuses on a different aspect of authentic Catholic masculinity and features interviews with well-known Catholic commentators and follows the personal story of a man whose life illuminates each theme. Join us starting Thursday, February 4th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Each week we will take up a new topic:
Masculinity
Brotherhood
leadership
Fatherhood
Family
Life
Prayer
Suffering
Sacramental Life
Spiritual Warfare
Evangelization
The Cornerstone
For more information and further reading, visit the Into the Breach page on the Knights of Columbus website. John Mastandrea jmastandrea@stmaryberea.org.