April 11, 2010
FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER

Did Lent seem long? It usually does, and this year was made worse by our endless blizzards. But Easter is actually ten days longer than Lent. It may not feel as long because the days are warmer and brighter and we don’t have all those days of fasting and penance to deal with.

The Easter season, which lasts from Easter Sunday till Pentecost, May 23, has been called the season of the sacraments. Especially at this time of year we focus on the sacramental life of the church. The newly baptized adults are discovering the meaning and power of the Christian life, not from books but from their own experience. And the rest of us are drinking in the new life the Lord has won for us, especially through the gift of Holy Communion. Recall at an earlier time when many did not receive communion regularly, the “Easter duty” was a reminder to receive communion at least once during the Easter season. This is also the season when we most often celebrate First Communions, as well as Confirmation, ordinations, weddings and the anointing of the sick.

The Sunday Scriptures of Eastertime bring home to us the meaning of these days, most especially the gospels. We hear of the appearances of the Risen Christ to his disciples, the assurance of his love and his promise of the Holy Spirit. The liturgies of the Easter season do not include readings from the Old Testament. Instead, the first reading each Sunday comes from the Acts of the Apostles where we see the church coming alive in power in the days after Pentecost, growing in size and moving out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

The second reading each Sunday is from the Book of Revelation, and this poses a challenge. It offers a glimpse of the joyful liturgy of heaven as a model for our worship on earth. It assures us of victory in the struggles of our days and speaks of the new heaven and the new earth which God is creating. In this book especially, keep your eyes on the big picture and don’t get bogged down in the unusual symbolism. It was meant to conceal Christian secrets from the enemies of the church, but too often today it only confuses the faithful.

May the season of the sacraments bring you an abundance of Easter blessings.                  –Fr. Peter

YOUTH MASS

Bishop Madden will celebrate Mass for the youth of the urban parishes on Saturday, April 17, at New All Saints Church, 4408 Liberty Heights Avenue. Brunch and informational sessions begin at 12:00 noon, followed by Mass at 2:00. We encourage all our high school aged youth to attend this special celebration, along with their family members and friends. The whole church community is invited to come out in support of our young people.

GATHERING OF YOUNG ADULTS
The young adults of the parish are invited to a gathering on Friday, April 30, at 6:30 pm in the youth room of the lyceum. This is a listening session, at which the young adult ministry team would like to hear how the church might serve your needs during this special season of your lives. We define young adults as post-high school up to age 35 (more or less). Refreshments will be served. Bring a friend or three.

GUN TURN-IN
St. Wenceslaus will again host a Gun Turn-In day on Saturday, May 1, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The event is sponsored by the Catholic Review as an attempt to stop the gun violence in our city. There will be a $100 cash reward for each workable rifle, automatic or semi automatic gun, and $50 for all other workable guns. All transactions are anonymous and the weapons collected will be turned over to the police to be destroyed.

SPAGHETTI DINNER PROFIT
The Youth Group Spaghetti Dinner and Bazaar on March 20 realized a profit of $452. Thanks to those who supported this project and to the adults and youth who worked to make it a success.

CRAB FEAST TICKETS
Our annual Crab Feast for the benefit of the Lucielle Fitzgerald Outreach Center will be held on Saturday, July 24 at Columbus Gardens from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $50 each or $450 for a table of 10. Those with paid up subscriptions will receive one ticket to the Crab Feast. Tickets will be available in the church office and the outreach center beginning next week.

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