Stations of the Cross for Vocations

This year for our program we centered the stations on vocations and invited Sr. Dennise and Sr. Ruth to join us. Since Bishop Foys announced this; The Year of Women Religious, I felt that it was appropriate to invite the Sisters to join us. Our PSR family over the past few months have been participating and continues to participate in the Traveling Cross for Vocations.

Today we walked through each station reflecting on Jesus and how we can reflect on our own vocation in life and pray for others to answer the call.

Below is the reflection for the 1^st Station:

Jesus,

you were publicly condemned to death.

Jesus, we ask that you call young men and women today to publicly accept your invitation to follow you in spite of what others may think or say. Give to them a passion for reaching out through your love to the needs of your brothers and sisters.

After our service we allowed the children to ask questions. Both Sr. Ruth and Sr. Dennise shared their call to vocation. One of the children asked how long will you be a sister, and Sr. Ruth replied that she will be one until she dies. We are so blessed to have the Sisters in our lives. They will continue to pray for us and ask the same in return.

My hope is that this service is for you and your family, a time of reflection and prayer. May it enrich each of you with a deeper sense of love and understanding for our vocation in life. We are invited to pray as a family for all of our young people that they may be open to hear and have the courage to answer God’s call in their lives. We also pray for those who have already settled into their state of life, that they may have the strength to persevere and be open to God’s continued guidance in their lives.

Prayer for Vocations - Traveling Cross

Prayer for Vocations

Year of Religious Life

This week our parish gratefully acknowledges the

Angst Family

As they host our Traveling Cross

___________________________________________

God, the source of creation and love,
You invite each of us to serve you through the life which is your gift.
May your grace encourage men and women to heights
of holiness through service to the church
as priests, sisters, brothers, and lay ministers.

Make me an instrument to encourage others
to give of themselves and
challenge me to do the same.

Amen

April Schedule

April 1......................... No Class – Spring Break (CCS Spring Break April 2-6)

April 8......................... No Class – Easter Sunday

April 15....................... Class

April 17........................First Communion Meeting 7:00 p.m. Church

April 22........................Class

April 29........................Class

Prayer for Vocations - Traveling Cross

Year of Religious Life

This week our parish gratefully acknowledges the

Heck Family

As they host our Traveling Cross

________________________________

GOD our FATHER,
WHO wills that all men be saved
And come to the knowledge of YOUR Truth:
We beg you to send
Laborers into YOUR harvest,
And grant them grace to speak YOUR Word
With all boldness; so that YOUR Word
May spread and be glorified,
And all nations may know YOU,
The only GOD, and HIM WHOM YOU have sent,
JESUS CHRIST YOUR SON, Our LORD. Amen.

Our Lady, Queen of the Americas,
And Mary, Mother of the
Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word,
Pray for us.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/Vocations1.htm#ixzz1qYWCxMzk

Prayer for Vocations - Traveling Cross

Year of Religious Life

This week our parish gratefully acknowledges the

Gamble Family

As they host our Traveling Cross

________________________________

Loving God, you have given us the privilege as well as the responsibility of being loving parents. In the name of Jesus, we ask you to guide us as we invite our children to hear your call to service and leadership in our church.
May our children respond with deep faith and generosity to the needs of God’s people. Help us to be a source of encouragement to our children by our own desire to be commited people who serve with love and enthusiasm.

Response to Tornado Relief

St. Joseph Parish is responding to the hardships of our brothers and sisters in southern Campbell and northern Pendleton Counties whose homes have been lost or damaged by the recent tornado and storms in the following ways:

Bishop Foys has directed that a second collection be taken at Masses on Saturday and Sunday, March 3 – 4 to provide immediate relief to those affected here in Northern Kentucky. Checks should be made payable to St. Joseph Parish with “storm relief” in memo. These funds will be distributed by pastors and parish life collaborators of the effected parishes as they respond to emergency needs such as food, shelter and medical care.

Supplies can be dropped off at the garage next to the convent from 4 – 7 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 6th, 7th & 8th. Supplies can also be brought to school by students. All supplies collected will be sent to Sts Peter and Paul Parish for distribution to those in need.

Supplies needed are:

• Non-perishable food items


• Cleaning supplies


• Bleach


• Personal care items: tooth brushes, tooth paste, soap, deodorant


• Work gloves


• Paper towels


• Toilet paper


• Bottled water


• Boxes


• Storage containers


• Laundry detergent


• Cash


• Gift cards (E.g. WalMart, Krogers)
  

Please do not donate anything other than from this list.

Prayer for Vocations - Traveling Cross

Prayer for Vocations

Year of Religious Life

This week our parish gratefully acknowledges the

Moloney Family

As they host our Traveling Cross

___________________________________________

Father you call each one of us by name

and ask us to follow you.

Bless your church by raising up dedicated

and generous leaders from

our families and friends who

will serve your people as

Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons, and Lay Ministers.

Inspire us as we grow to know you, and open

our hearts to hear your call.

We ask this in Jesus name

Amen.

Practicing Penance

When I sprain my ankle, part of the healing process will involve physical therapy. It's tender, and perhaps it is swollen. It may be important to put ice on it first, to reduce the inflammation. I may want to wrap it an elevate it and stay off of it. Then I will need to start moving it and then walking on it, and eventually, as the injury is healed, I'll want to start exercising it, so that it will be stronger than it was before, so that I won't as easily injure it again.

Penance is a remedy, a medicine, a spiritual therapy for the healing I desire. The Lord always forgives us. We are forgiven without condition. But complete healing takes time. With serious sin or with bad habits we've invested years in forming, we need to develop a therapeutic care plan to let the healing happen. To say "I'm sorry" or to simply make a "resolution" to change a long established pattern, will have the same bad result as wishing a sprained ankle would heal, while still walking on it.

Lent is a wonderful time to name what sinful, unhealthy, self-centered patterns need changing and to act against them by coming up with a strategy. For example, if the Lord is shining a light into the darkness of a bad pattern in my life, I can choose to "stop doing it." But, I have to work on a "change of heart" and to look concretely at what circumstances, attitudes, and other behaviors contribute to the pattern. If I'm self-indulgent with food, sex, attention-seeking behaviors and don't ask "what's missing for me, that I need to fill it with this?" then simply choosing to stop the pattern won't last long. Lasting healing needs the practice of penance.

"Taken from the Praying Lent pages of Creighton University's Online Ministries web site:
www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html. Used with Permission."