News - March 2024 RSS Feed

Calling all of the St. Theresa family – let us storm heaven with our prayers united! You are invited to join us either on your own or as a family in praying the Divine Mercy Novena, which starts Good Friday. What is a novena? A novena is basically nine days of prayer in a row. A Divine Mercy Novena can be prayed at any time of the year, but it is especially appropriate to pray this devotion 9 days before the Feast of Divine Mercy, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Divine Mercy Sunday falls on the Second Sunday of Easter. If possible, set a reminder to pray daily at 3:00 PM. This is known as the Great Hour of Mercy, when Jesus died on the cross. However, it can be recited at any time of the day or night.

Kids, bring your Easter baskets for our annual Easter Egg Hunt after 9:00 AM Mass on Easter Sunday. We are collecting stuffed plastic Easter Eggs for this event until Good Friday. See you there!

St. Paul tells us, “Your attitude must be Christ’s.” It occurs to me, however, that our attitude, most of the time, is almost the exact opposite of Christ’s. Whether it is the man and woman in the Genesis story eating the forbidden fruit in an attempt to “be like God” or whether it’s the attainment of “self-realization” or “self-actualization,” the motive is the same. We seek fulfillment through self-assertion and independence. The operant word is “self.” Everything is on my terms, even the worship of God.

Latin for “darkness,” Tenebrae is a service particular to Holy Week. A seven candle, triangular candelabra called a “hearse”, is uniquely used, with one candle representing Jesus and the rest his followers. Nine readings are proclaimed, after each a candle is extinguished in the hearse, symbolizing Jesus’ followers abandoning him one by one. At the end, just the candle symbolic of Christ is left burning, and then is hidden. The service ends with a “strepitus” or “loud noise” traditionally made by slamming a book shut, stomping on the floor, or in more contemporary services musical instruments, symbolizing the earthquake that followed Christ’s death. This takes place in total darkness. At the end, the hidden candle is returned, representative of the light of Christ returning to the world. Join us for this beautiful experience at St. Theresa!

Mark your calendars for a Lenten Teen Stations of the Cross. Meet at the Family Center on Sunday, March 24th at 5:30 PM for an interactive, walking stations devotion around the parish grounds. We will have pizza and fellowship afterwards.

Back on the schedule by popular demand! Join us for a Fish Fry in the Family Center on March 22 from 4:30-6:00 PM. Plates are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Pre-orders highly recommended.

Come and prepare your hearts for Easter! Join us for a Parish Penance Service, featuring multiple priests to hear confessions, Tuesday, March 12 at 7:00 PM in the church Sanctuary.