CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MATTHEW THE APOSTLE, WASHINGTON, D.C.
APRIL 24, 2011
TODAY’S READINGS
n this great feast of the Resurrection, let’s
take a look at the first man to walk into the
empty tomb. Peter must have come there
with many different feelings swirling in his heart—
feelings ranging from hope that Jesus was alive
again to guilt at having denied him.
Seeing those linens folded neatly, Peter
probably recalled his own actions that brought Jesus
to such a horrible end. “First I bragged about my
undying loyalty to him, and then I betrayed him. If
he really has been raised up, I have
to face him. Jesus knows that I am a
coward and a traitor. Will he even
take me back?”
But while Peter’s view was so
negative, Jesus had a different
approach. He looked inside Peter’s
heart and saw the love as well as the
weakness. He knew that Peter had
denied him only out of fear.
Imagine the first conversation
between Peter and the risen Lord.
“Jesus, why do you put up with me?
I failed you!” “Peter, that’s all in the past. I know
your heart, and I know your love. The Spirit is
coming, and he will strengthen you beyond what
you can imagine. So be at peace. I want you to feed
my sheep.”
Surely we all have more than a little bit of Peter
in us! Like him, we all have made boastful
statements about our lives or about our faith at one
time or another. And we all have been embarrassed
when reality confronted these claims.
So what should we do this Easter? First, let’s
give up all of our negative views of ourselves. “If
God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans
8:31). Second, let’s listen to Jesus as he tells us that
he knows how much we love him. Let’s allow these
words to move us out into the world to feed his
sheep. May we all have a blessed Easter.
“All praise to you, Lord Jesus! You have
conquered sin and death. You have lifted me up to
be with you forever!”
O
LAS LECTURAS DE HOY
oy que celebramos la Resurrección del Señor,
examinaremos un poco de la historia de la salvación, para
llegar a vislumbrar algo de lo que Jesús ganó para
nosotros al resucitar de entre los muertos. En todo el Antiguo
Testamento vemos indicios que nos señalan la resurrección. Por
ejemplo, el Génesis habla de que vendría Uno que le aplastaría la
cabeza a la serpiente (Génesis 3,15). Leemos, también que las
aguas del juicio limpian la tierra de pecado (Génesis 6:7). En el
Libro de Isaías leemos que hay un Siervo sufriente, que sería
despreciado y rechazado, pero que con su sufrimiento quitaría el
pecado del mundo (Isaías 53:12).
Repetidas veces, estos versículos presagian
una nueva vida para nosotros, una vida libre de
las artimañas de la serpiente, una vida que se
remonta por encima de la corrupción y la
violencia, una vida sin culpa ni vergüenza. ¡Y por
la fe, sabemos que esta vida es nuestra ahora
debido a la resurrección de Jesús de entre los
muertos!
Durante los 40 días pasados, hemos considerado
la cruz y todo que Jesús llevó a cabo por medio
de su muerte. Ahora vienen los días de
celebración y realización. Ahora viene la gran
temporada de Pascua, un tiempo de 50 días para reflexionar y
participar en la nueva vida que Jesús nos ha dado gratuitamente.
En Pentecostés, Pedro anunció que Jesús, ahora exaltado a la
derecha de Dios, ha recibido el Espíritu Santo, y que Él ha
derramado este Espíritu sobre los apóstoles (Hechos 2,33). Pero
no solo eso; dijo que además este don del Espíritu es para todos
los que crean y sean bautizados (Hechos 2,33.38).
Hermanos y hermanas, Jesús vive con poder y gloria en el
cielo, y sigue derramando su Espíritu Santo sobre nosotros hoy;
sigue dándonos el poder de vivir una vida maravillosa, que es
santa y agradable a Dios; una vida iluminada por la gracia,
purificada por la reconciliación y alimentada por la Sagrada
Eucaristía. Así, pues, en este gran día en que celebramos la
resurrección de Cristo Jesús, alabémoslo por habernos resucitado
también a nosotros junto con Él para que caminemos junto a Él
todos los días de nuestra vida.
“Gracias, Señor, para habernos elevado al cielo junto
contigo. Tu amor es tan inefable que no podemos comprenderlo.
Abre nuestro corazón, para que recibamos tu gracia y así
podamos vivir con el poder de la Resurrección.”
Taken from The Word Among Us, Lent 2011, Vol. 30,
Number 4: Used with permission.
Escogida con el permiso de La Palabra Entre Nosotros, Vol. 30, Número
2: Febrero/Marzo 2011.
THIS WEEK’S READINGS
Monday 25th
Acts 2:14,22-33 / Mt 28:8-15
Tuesday 26th
Acts 2:36-41 / Jn 20:11-18
Wednesday 27th
Acts 3:1-10 / Lc 24:13-35
Thursday 28th
Acts 3:11-26 / Lc 24:35-48
Friday 29th
Acts 4:1-12 / Jn 21:1-14
Saturday 30th
Acts 4:13-21 / Mk 16:9-15
Sunday 1st Acts 2:42-47 / 1 Pt 1:3-9 / Jn 20:19-31
Divine Mercy Sunday
H
Lunes 25
Martes 26
Miércoles 27
Jueves 28
Viernes 29
Sábado 30
LECTURAS DE LA SEMANA
He 2:14,22-33 / Mt 28:8-15
He 2:36-41 / Jn 20:11-18
He 3:1-10 / Lc 24:13-35
He 3:11-26 / Lc 24:35-48
He 4:1-12 / Jn 21:1-14
He 4:13-21 / Mc 16:9-15
Domingo 1
He 2:24-47 / 1 Pe 1:3-9 / Jn 20:19-31
Domingo de la Divina Misericordia
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
He is truly risen! Alleluia!
Wishing you a joyful Easter! Rejoice!
HIGHLIGHTS THIS EASTER WEEK
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to the newest members of our Catholic family! At the Easter
Vigil, we welcomed 16 people into the Church. As a parish community, we are
called to help them to deepen their relationship with God and with the Church.
Please welcome them, and keep them in your prayers.
Those who received Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist: Claire
Connelly, Andrew Giron, Brian Mahoubi, Max Mikulec, Rita Nkadi-Ofunwa,
Clara Saks, and Jennifer Skalka
Those who were received into the Full Communion of the Catholic
Church: Heather Angell, Jonathan Brooks, Erin (Queally) Hudson, Kimberly
Jacobs, and Anna Lombardo
Baptized Catholics who completed the Sacraments of Initiation: Summer
(Nicki) Alam, Barbara Derrickson, Carl Nelson, and Karen Ressue.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Jesus Christ is divine mercy in person. (Pope Benedict XVI)
Join us for Divine Mercy Devotions in the Cathedral next Sunday, May 1, also
the beatification day of John Paul II. It was Pope John Paul II who declared the
Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday (see the flyer). Come for
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament immediately following the 1pm Spanish
Mass (approximately 2:15pm) and the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy,
alternating in Spanish and English, at 3pm, concluding with Benediction.
ANNIVERSARY MASS FOR ADULTS IN RCIA PROCESS SINCE 2006
There will be a special anniversary commemoration at the 11:30am Mass next
Sunday, May 1 for adults who have formally joined the Catholic Church through
St. Matthew’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process. If you are an adult
who has been baptized or received into the Catholic Church here at the Cathedral
in the past five years (2006 or later), please email Heather Kinney at
[email protected] to let us know you plan to attend this Mass.
HOSPITALITY NEXT WEEKEND
Mark your calendars and bring a friend for Hospitality after the 5:30pm Mass
next Saturday, April 30 or after any Mass except the 7am Mass on Sunday, May
1. Join us in celebrating the joy of Easter and the divine mercy that it brings!
Grab a snack and catch up on Cathedral activities.
BOOK CLUB: CONFESSIONS
All are welcome to the next meeting of St. Matthew's Book Club on Monday,
May 2 in the West Conference Room. The group will discuss Confessions, the
autobiography of St. Augustine in which he shares his journey from reckless
youth to Catholic convert and eventually Doctor of the Church. The meeting will
start at 6:40pm. All are welcome. Contact Paul Zummo at [email protected]
for more information.
CATHEDRAL
CALENDAR
April 24 – May 1
EASTER SUNDAY—The
Resurrection of the Lord. The
regular Sunday schedule of
Masses is observed, and the
Rectory is closed.
Donald Cardinal Wuerl
celebrates the 10am Mass in
English.
MONDAY—The Rectory offices
are closed and the regular daily
Mass schedule is observed, with
Masses celebrated at 7am, 8am,
12:10pm and 5:30pm.
TUESDAY—El Grupo de Oración
en Español tendrá una hora de
reflexión a las 7:00 de la tarde en
el salón de conferencias del Oeste.
WEDNESDAY—Breaking Open
the Word meets at 7pm in the
West Conference Room.
SATURDAY—Fr. Hurley’s Bible
study on the Letters of the New
Testament is held at 10am in the
East Conference Room.
SUNDAY—Divine Mercy Sunday.
Hospitality receptions are held in
the North Conference Room after
all Masses except the 7am Mass.
A second collection for Cathedral
maintenance is taken at all
Masses.
The Blessed Sacrament is exposed
for adoration immediately
following the 1pm Mass, and the
Chaplet of Divine Mercy is
prayed in English and Spanish at
3pm.
Las clases de Catequesis,
Catecumenado y Catequesis
Familiar se reúnen a las 11de la
mañana.
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MATTHEW THE APOSTLE, WASHINGTON, D.C.
APRIL 24, 2011
NEWS & NOTES
FAITH IN ACTION
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you to Bertucci's of Dupont Circle (1218
Connecticut Avenue, NW) for providing warm rolls and
spoons for our recent Simple Lenten Meals, and for
donating soup for two of the Fridays as well! Please stop
by and thank them in person the next time you are
looking for a brunch spot after Mass. They are open on
Easter Sunday.
ADULT ENGLISH CONVERSATION CLASSES
When?
June 7– July 27 (8 weeks)
Tuesday & Wednesday evenings, 6.30-8:30pm
Where? St. Matthew’s Education Center
1726 N Street NW, Washington, DC
Focus?
Conversing in English
Cost?
$25
Students may register in person on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
starting June 7, between 6:30 and 8:30pm, at St. Matthew’s
Education Center. At registration, students will be assessed
to determine the appropriate class level. For more information, contact the ESL Program Coordinator at
[email protected] or call the Rectory at 202347-3215.
TOUR OF THE RENWICK GALLERY
Join the Cathedral Club members for a tour of the
Renwick Gallery at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, on
Saturday, April 30 at 2pm. All are welcome. Contact
George Desorcy 202-537-3640 for more information.
FAITH FORMATION
ADULT CONFIRMATION PREPARATION
You may still register for St. Matthew’s five-week program for active adult Catholics who wish to receive the
Sacrament of Confirmation. Preparation sessions will be
held on Thursdays, May 5, 12, 19, 26 and June 2 from 7
to 8:30pm with a retreat on Saturday, June 4. We will
celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Pentecost
Sunday, June 12. Contact Heather Kinney at hkinney@
stmatthewscathedral.org by Thursday, April 28 to
register.
BECOMING CATHOLIC
For those who are interested in learning about the
Catholic faith or thinking about becoming Catholic, join
us for Inquiry, a casual, ongoing conversation about the
Catholic faith. Inquiry is the first step in the process of
discerning one’s commitment to full initiation in the
Catholic Church and meets on the second Wednesday of
the month from 6:30 to 7:30pm in the East Conference
Room. A brief overview of the entire adult initiation
process (RCIA) can be presented after Inquiry for those
who are interested. The next Inquiry will be held
Wednesday, May 11. For more information, contact
Heather Kinney (contact info above).
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
Msgr. Peter J. Vaghi’s monthly series of talks continues
with “Friendship with God” on Thursday, May 5 at 6pm
(following the 5:30pm Mass) in the East Conference
Room. Msgr. Vaghi is the pastor of Church of the Little
Flower in Bethesda MD and chaplain of the John Carroll
Society. He is the author of The Faith We Profess: A
Catholic Guide to the Apostles’ Creed and The
Sacraments We Celebrate: A Catholic Guide to the Seven
Mysteries of Faith.
SINGLE SERVINGS OF SERVICE
Join parishioners to spruce up Mary House on Saturday,
April 30, 9:30am-2pm! Mary House (www.maryhouse.org)
is actually 15 houses in DC that offer transitional housing
services, shelter, and support programs to homeless and
struggling families. Volunteers will work at a house in
Brookland cleaning the pantry, clothing storage room, and
common areas, placing mulch and raking leaves. The house
is about a 15-minute walk from Brookland Metro. We will
carpool from St. Matthew’s at 9:30am and finish around
2pm. Contact Chris Early at [email protected] to
participate.
MASS INTENTIONS
April 24–April 30
SUNDAY: 7am Naomi I. Beck; 8:30am Cassiel Webster;
10am Joseph & Carolyn Prucnal; 11:30am Helen
Karpiak; 1pm Todos los Feligreses; 5:30pm Felice
Ariano.
MONDAY: 7am Josephine Klug Kuhn; 8am Terry
Anderson; 12:10pm Michael Worosila; 5:30pm Dave
Guzman.
TUESDAY: 7am Mary T. Kennedy; 8am Robert Snyder;
12:10pm Jackson Casey; 5:30pm Mr. James Bernardi.
WEDNESDAY: 7am Lilia Forbes; 8am Brigitte Kekeh;
12:10pm Gerald Walworth; 5:30pm Matthew R. Lippman
(living).
THURSDAY: 7am Fritz Toussaint; 8am Madeleina
Monica Le (living); 12:10pm Joseph Ruskin; 5:30pm
Michael Bryce (living).
FRIDAY: 7am Fritz Toussaint; 8am Betty Schultz;
12:10pm Gabbie De Lara (living); 5:30pm Dominic
Mercadante.
SATURDAY: 8am Paulino Bizares; 12:10pm Aimée
Terpend-Ordassiére; 5:30 Eduardo & Blanca Barrios.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD
NOTICIAS DE LA PARROQUIA
DOMINGO DE LA DIVINA MISERICORDIA
Jesucristo es la misericordia divina en persona.
(Papa Benedicto XVI)
Únase a su familia parroquial para la
devoción de la Divina Misericordia en
la Catedral, el próximo domingo 1 de
mayo a las 2 de la tarde; también es el
día de la beatificación de Juan Pablo
II, quien declaró el Segundo Domingo
de Pascua como Domingo de la
Divina Misericordia. Venga a la
Exposición del Santísimo Sacramento
inmediatamente después de la misa de
la 1 en español (aproximadamente a la
2:15), a las 3 de la tarde recitación de
la coronilla (alternando en español e ingles) concluyendo
con la Bendición.
TALLER SOBRE
LA SEXUALIDAD HUMANA
La Catedral de San Mateo Apóstol, está patrocinando un
taller relacionado con la sexualidad humana. Joaquín Trejo
de la Arquidiócesis y encargado de la preparación
matrimonial para parejas, será nuestro conferencista
invitado. Este taller de carácter educativo, servirá de ayuda
a los padres de familia, para contestar las diferentes
preguntas que surgen en la vida diaria de sus hijos
adolescentes. Este taller está abierto a toda la comunidad
hispana y se ofrece el domingo 1 de mayo, de 9:30-12:30
del mediodía en el salón de conferencias del Oeste. Se
recomienda que no traigan a niños. Para más información
pueden llamar a la rectoría y dejar un mensaje con Fátima
Aybar ex 543.
¡FELICITACIONES!
¡Felicitamos a los nuevos miembros de nuestra familia
católica! En la Vigilia Pascual, recibimos a 16 personas en
la Iglesia. Como comunidad parroquial, estamos llamados
a ayudarles a que profundicen en su relación con Dios y
con la Iglesia. Démosles la bienvenida y manténganlos en
sus oraciones.
Aquellos que recibieron el Bautismo, Primera
Comunión y Confirmación: Claire Connelly, Andrew
Giron, Brian Mahoubi, Max Mikulec, Rita Nkadi-Ofunwa,
Clara Saks, and Jennifer Skalka
Aquellos que entraron en comunión total con la
Iglesia Católica: Heather Angell, Jonathan Brooks, Erin
(Queally) Hudson, Kimberly Jacobs, and Anna Lombardo
Católicos bautizados, que completaron los
Sacramentos de Iniciación: Summer (Nicki) Alam,
Barbara Derrickson, Carl Nelson, and Karen Ressue.
GRUPO DE ORACIÓN
Este martes 26 de Abril durante el Grupo de Oración el
Diacono Juan Cayrampoma tendrá una hora de reflexión y
el tema será: “Cristo Resucitado” en el salón de
conferencia del Oeste a las 7:30 de la tarde. Todos están
cordialmente invitados.
CLASES DE CONVERSACIÓN
EN INGLÉS PARA ADULTOS
¿Cuándo?
7 de junio – 27 de julio (8 semanas)
Los martes y miércoles de 6:30–8:30
de la noche
¿Dónde?
Centro Educacional de San Mateo
1726 calle N, NW, Washington, DC
Enfocándose en: Conversación en Ingles
¿Costo?
$25
Nuevos estudiantes pueden inscribirse en persona, martes
o miércoles en la noche; las inscripciones comienzan el 7
de junio, entre 6:30 y 8:00 de la noche, en el Centro
Educacional de San Mateo (en la dirección de
arriba). Durante la inscripción los nuevos estudiantes
recibirán un breve examen para determinar cuál es el nivel
de clases más apropiado para ellos. Para más información,
ponerse en contacto con el coordinador del Programa ESL
a: stmattseslprogram@gmail. com ó llame a la rectoría, al:
202-347-3215.
CLASES DE PREPARACIÓN PARA LA
CONFIRMACIÓN DE ADULTOS
Las personas adultas que deseen recibir el sacramento de
la Confirmación el 12 de junio, día de Pentecostés, tienen
que recibir unas clases que se ofrecerán los domingos 15,
22, y 29 de mayo a las 11 de la mañana hasta las 12:15 del
mediodía en los salones de la calle N. Para más
información e inscripción, pueden llamar a la rectoría y
dejar un mensaje para Fátima al 202-347-3215 x543.
Deben traer a la clase una copia del certificado de
bautismo.
EL PROYECTO RAQUEL
¿Tiene sentimientos no resueltos después de un aborto?
¿Siente que Dios nunca podría perdonarla y seguramente
no puede perdonarse usted misma? El Proyecto Raquel, es
un ministerio patrocinado por la Arquidiócesis de
Washington; este grupo de apoyo se ha organizado para
ayudar a superar la culpabilidad, tristeza y otras emociones
difíciles que llegan después de un aborto. Llamar a Luz
Menjívar al 301-853-4565 o [email protected].
Todas las llamadas son confidenciales.
The Faith Formation Committee presents:
FOUR WEEKS ON THE
NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS
Time: 10:30 to 11:45am
(Consider staying for our 12:10pm Mass afterward.)
Date: Saturdays, April 30 and May 7, 14, and 21
Place: East Conference Room
Facilitator: Father Jack Hurley
Join us as we explore the epistles of Saint Paul
and other letters of the New Testament.
Particular attention will be given to 1 Corinthians,
Galatians, and Hebrews.
Please bring a Bible and your own morning beverage.
Homemade coffee cake will be provided.
NO RSVP NECESSARY & NO COST TO ATTEND
ALL ARE WELCOME!
For more information, please contact Heather Kinney,
Director of Faith Formation, at [email protected].
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Jesus Christ is divine mercy in person. (Pope Benedict XVI)
Join your parish family for Divine Mercy Devotions in the Cathedral on Sunday,
May 1, also the beatification day of John Paul II, who declared the Second
Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday (over). Come for Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament immediately following the 1pm Spanish Mass (approximately
2:15pm) and the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (alternating in Spanish
and English) at 3 pm, concluding with Benediction.
The Second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy
In his Encyclical on the Mercy of God, Dives in
Sunday, established by Pope John Paul II on the
Misericordia (Latin for “Rich in Mercy), Pope John Paul
day that he canonized Sister Faustina Kowalska in
II wrote: “Although God ‘dwells in unapproachable
Rome (April 30, 2000). The special devotion to the
light,’ He speaks to man by means of the whole of the
divine mercy is based on the writings of Saint
universe: ‘Ever since the creation of the world his
Faustina. On the day of his election as Pope,
invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity,
Benedict XVI spoke about the devotion of Pope
has been clearly perceived in the things that have
John Paul II to the divine mercy, saying: “We listen
been made.’ This indirect and imperfect knowledge,
with joy to the proclamation of the year of
achieved by the intellect seeking God by means of
mercy… Jesus Christ is divine mercy in person: To
creatures through the visible world, falls short of ‘vision
find Christ means to find the mercy of God… The
of the Father.’ ‘No one has ever seen God,’ writes St.
day of vengeance and the year of favor coincide
John, in order to stress the truth that ‘the only Son, who
in the paschal mystery, in Christ, dead and risen.
is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him
This is the vengeance of God: He himself, in the
known.’ This ‘making known’ reveals God in the most
person of the Son, suffered for us. The more we
profound mystery of His being, one and three,
are touched by the mercy of the Lord, the more
surrounded by ‘unapproachable light.’ Nevertheless,
we are in solidarity with his suffering, the more
through this ‘making known’ by Christ we know God
disposed we are to complete in our flesh ‘what is
above all in His relationship of love for man: in His
lacking in Christ's afflictions’ (Colossians 1:24).” To
‘philanthropy.’ It is precisely here that ‘His invisible
learn more about Divine Mercy Sunday and the
nature’ becomes in a special way ‘visible,’
indulgences attached to devotions in honor of the
incomparably more visible than through all the other
divine mercy, visit
‘things that have been made’: it becomes visible in
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.ht
Christ and through Christ, through His actions and His
mor or http://thedivinemercy.org.
words, and finally through His death on the cross and
His resurrection.” (Pope John Paul II, from “Dives in
Misericordia,” November 30, 1980.)
Liturgy Training Publications
3949 South Racine Avenue
Chicago IL 60609
On the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, Contemplating the scenes of the Rosary
April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II died,
and it is Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, in union with Mary is a means of learning
2011, that Pope Benedict XVI set for
the beatification of his predecessor.
with her to “read” Christ, to discover
It may be especially appropriate that the Pope who declared the his secrets and to understand his message
Second Sunday of Easter as Divine
Mercy Sunday is beatified on that (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 14).
day. It also is fitting that the beatification occur at the start of May, the
Born: May 18, 1920
month of Mary, to whom he had a
Died: April 2, 2005
devotion and called, among other
Beatification: May 1, 2011
titles, Mother of Mercy.
To tell of John Paul II’s 26 years
to contemplate the beauty on the face
of Petrine ministry is to provide a litany of encyclicals, travels,
of Christ and to experience the depths of his love.” In RVM, he
and historic events. Not only was John Paul II the first Pope to
notes Mary’s conformity to Christ: “Mary lives only in Christ
enter a synagogue since Saint Peter, but he appealed to both Jews
and for Christ!” It is such conformity that John Paul II sought.
and Christians to be “a blessing to one another,” and offered
His motto was Totus Tuus (all thine).
repentance in the name of the Church for the Shoah.
To John Paul II, the woman who carried the Savior in her
From the moment Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope in
womb, who first gazed on him at birth, and stayed with him by
October 1978, the man who had entered a clandestine seminary
the cross, is the person who can bring followers closest to Christ.
while living under Nazi occupation mesmerized the world. In
In the apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America, he called Mary
the early years, Catholics and non-Catholics alike were attracted
“the sure path to our meeting with Christ.” In Ecclesia in America,
to the athletic man who snuck out of his villa to ski and reached
the Pope noted that Our Lady of Guadalupe’s meeting with Juan
out to the young at World Youth Days. People of many faiths
Diego evangelized beyond Mexico and voiced hope that the
prayed for him when he was shot in St. Peter’s Square and were
Mother and Evangelizer of America would guide the Church in
awed with the mercy he granted his assailant. And none escaped
America, “so that the new evangelization may yield a splendid
the poignancy of a feeble John Paul II praying at the Western
flowering of Christian life.”
Wall in Israel, leaving a prayer inside the wall.
The Pope credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life
Even a scant follower of the Pope knew that the man who
when he was shot on May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first
forgave his assailant, traveled the world to evangelize, and sought
apparition at Fatima. He believed that Mary guided the bullet
healing in relations with the Jewish people looked to the Blessed
away from his vital organs. A year after the shooting, he placed
the bullet that was taken from him among the diamonds in the
Virgin as a model of faith. A week after taking on the Chair of Saint
crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. “I wish once more to
Peter, he brought reporters to the Marian Shrine of Mentorella
thank Our Lady of Fatima for the gift of my life being spared,”
outside of Rome. “I wanted to come here, among these mounhe said.
tains,” he told them “to sing the Magnificat in Mary’s footsteps.”
With the Church, many surely are thanking the man who
On that date, too, he told of his love for the Rosary, a remark that
espoused
the Rosary for modeling a life of faith.
he recalled 24 years later in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis
Mariae (RVM): “The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous
(A downloadable form of this article can be found at www.Pastoral
prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and depth.” In that letter, he
Liturgy.org.)
explained the Christocentric nature of the prayer. “With the
Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led
Mary G. Fox is the editor of Pastoral Liturgy and Catechumenate.
Photo © Octavio Duran, ofm
Pope John Paul II
Celebrating the Lord’s Day
O
n Sunday, we gather as the Body of Christ to
celebrate the Lord’s Day, the day of Christ’s
Resurrection:
As “the first day of the week” (Mk 16:2) it recalls
the first creation; and as the “eighth day,” which
follows the sabbath, it symbolizes the new creation
ushered in by the Resurrection of Christ. Thus,
it has become for Christians the first of all days
and of all feasts. It is the day of the Lord in which
he with his Passover fulfilled the spiritual truth of
the Jewish Sabbath and proclaimed man’s eternal
rest in God. (Compendium of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, no. 452)
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus rose on the first day
of the week—the day following the Jewish Sabbath.
Shortly after daybreak, the women found the tomb
empty and Jesus risen from the dead. Jesus’ death and
Resurrection opened for us the doors of salvation. Sharing in Jesus’ death in Baptism, we hope to share in his
Resurrection. We become a new creation in Christ. It is
that new creation which we celebrate on Sunday:
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice in it and be glad. (Ps 118:24)
Each Sunday is a “little Easter”—a celebration of the
central mysteries of our faith.
THE SUNDAY EUCHARIST
The primary way in which we celebrate the Lord’s Day
is with our participation in the Sunday Eucharist. What
better way to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord than
by celebration of the memorial of his Passion, death, and
Resurrection?
This celebration is not a solitary, private event.
Instead, we come together as the People of God, the
Church, to worship with one heart and one voice. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that
“participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being
faithful to Christ and to his Church” (CCC, no. 2182).
When members of our church community are absent
from this gathering, they are missed. No member of the
faithful should be absent from the Sunday Eucharist without a serious reason. The Liturgy should be the first thing
on Sunday’s schedule, not the last. We should arrive on
time, prepared in mind and heart to fully participate in
the Mass. Those who cannot attend because of illness or
the need to care for infants or the sick deserve our prayers
and special attention.
Often, people will suggest that going to Sunday
Mass is not necessary. After all, they can pray at home
just as well. This has clearly been an issue in the Church
for more than a millennium. In the fourth century, St.
John Chrysostom addressed this problem directly:
You cannot pray at home as at church, where there
is a great multitude, where exclamations are cried
out to God as from one great heart, and where there
is something more: the union of minds, the accord
of souls, the bond of charity, the prayers of the
priests. (CCC, no. 2179, quoting St. John Chrysostom, De incomprehensibili 3, 6: PG 48, 725)
Private prayer, though essential to the spiritual life,
can never replace the celebration of the eucharistic Liturgy
and the reception of Holy Communion.
In some communities, the lack of priests makes it
impossible to celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday. In
such instances, the bishop may make provision for these
parish communities to gather and celebrate the Liturgy
of the Word or the Liturgy of the Hours. These Sunday
celebrations in the absence of a priest may or may not
include the reception of Holy Communion. Still, these
celebrations allow the People of God to gather and keep
holy the Lord’s Day.
KEEPING SUNDAY—ALL DAY
Celebrating the Sunday Eucharist—though central and
essential—does not complete our observance of Sunday.
In addition to attending Mass each Sunday, we should
also refrain “from those activities which impede the
worship of God and disturb the joy proper to the day of
the Lord or the necessary relaxation of mind and body”
(Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
no. 453).
Sunday has traditionally been a day of rest. However,
the concept of a day of rest may seem odd in a world that
runs 24/7, where we are tethered to our jobs by a variety of
electronic gadgets, where businesses run as normal no matter what the day of the week, and where silence seems to be
an endangered species. By taking a day each week to rest
in the Lord, we provide a living example to the culture that
all time belongs to God and that people are more important than things.
As Pope John Paul II said in Dies Domini (The Day
of the Lord), his apostolic letter on Sunday:
Through Sunday rest, daily concerns and tasks can
find their proper perspective: the material things
about which we worry give way to spiritual values; in
a moment of encounter and less pressured exchange,
we see the true face of the people with whom we live.
Even the beauties of nature—too often marred by
the desire to exploit, which turns against man himself—can be rediscovered and enjoyed to the full.
(Dies Domini, no. 67)
Not everyone has the freedom to take Sundays away
from work. Some people, including medical professionals and public safety workers, must work on Sundays to
keep the rest of us safe and healthy. Others must work
for economic reasons beyond their control.
Resting on Sunday does not mean that we are
inactive. Instead,
Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian
piety to good works and humble service of the sick,
the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days
of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence,
cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life. (CCC,
no. 2186)
✠✠ Don’t use Sunday as your catch-all day for errands
and household chores.
✠✠ Share a family dinner after Mass. Have the whole
family join in the preparation and cleanup.
✠✠ Go for a walk or bike ride and give thanks to God for
the beauty of nature.
✠✠ Spend time reading the Bible or a spiritual book.
✠✠ Pray the Rosary or the Liturgy of the Hours, alone or
with others.
✠✠ Volunteer in a local food pantry.
✠✠ Visit parishioners and others who are homebound.
✠✠ Read Bible stories to your children.
✠✠ Turn off your gadgets and enjoy the silence.
As we take time each week to celebrate the Paschal
Mystery in the Eucharist and to rest from the burdens of
our daily lives, we remind ourselves that we are made in
the image and likeness of God who “rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken” (Gn 2:2).
REFERENCES
Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000.
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Washington, DC:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006.
Pope John Paul II, On Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy (Dies Domini).
www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/
hf_jp-ii_apl_05071998_dies-domini_en.html.
Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition,
copyright © 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All
rights reserved.
Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American
Bible, copyright © 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC 20017 and are used by permission
of the copyright owner. All rights reserved.
To celebrate the Lord’s Day more fully, consider trying the following:
Copyright © 2010, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Gratis permission is hereby
granted to reproduce these materials for nonprofit educational use, when accompanied by the following acknowledgment:
“Copyright © 2010 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.”
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Transactions take place once per month on the 4th or the
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Church Name
E-GIVING
ENROLLMENT
FORM
Enrollment
Form
Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
For Online Enrollment
Use Church Code:
DC284
C
Faith Direct . Attention: Enrollment . P.O. Box 7101 . Merrifield, VA 22116-7101 . 1-866-507-8757 {toll free} . www.faithdirect.net
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(Note: Total contribution amount will be debited on the 4th of the
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COLLECTION
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January
February
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