The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thoughts from Fr. Bill…….

Dear friends, welcome to February 2013! A short but very exciting
month. February comes from the word purification. The ancient
roman calendar had ten months, March through December
(December means “tenth month.”) There was no January and no
February. These months were left off the calendar. Strange as it
seems, people didn’t feel the need to keep track of the days during
winter. For the Romans, this late winter period before March became
a “season” of purification and renewal, almost like Lent.

When the Romans began using a 12-month calendar, the old names
for the months continued to be used. The month before March was
names for the time of purification…..let us enjoy this time of Mardi
Gras before the season of purification, Lent, begins on February 13.
The first Sunday of February was designated in 1989 by Father
James Goode OFM as National Day of Prayer for the African
American Family. This gives us an opportunity to give thanks for
our families, and to entrust every family to the loving care of Jesus.
Father Goode composed this beautiful prayer: may we be proud of
our history and never forget those who paid the price for our liberation…
bless our parents, guardians, and grandparents relatives and
friends…give a healing anointing to those less fortunate, especially
the motherless, the fatherless, the broken, the sick, and the lonely…

This Sunday we come together from Noon-2PM for our 3rd annual
Parish Appreciation Tailgate Party. This is my opportunity to say
Thank You to all of you for sharing your Time, Talent and Treasure
with Holy Cross Church. In particular I want to thank so many of
you who nominated the following for the Father Straub Service
Award: Margie Altschaffl, Gerald Andrews, Phil Ball, Trudy Beistel,
The Greg Forsythe Family, Georgie Gamberoni, William Gasper
(posthumously), Carol Kalich, Rose McCaskie, Robert Raimondo,
Mike Repasky, Carol Sostarich, Dawn Tedrow, John Zombar. The
pastoral and financial council choose Margie Altschaffl as the
awardee. One of the nomination forms said “Margie is a kind and
friendly person who is very reliable, always present, a true example
of someone who gives of her time and talent.” Congratulations to
Margie and we are all extremely grateful for your service to Holy
Cross Church!

Our Psalm Response this week: I will sing of your salvation, reminds
us of the song our lives are meant to be!

LET’S GO PENS!

 Fr. Bill