Be Made Clean
The word leprosy has a harsh and intimidating sound to it, even today. The word leprosy is the same as the word Covid-19 nowadays. Because the causes of the disease were not known, the person was exiled from “healthy” human society. No one would want to be a leper/positive Covid-19, cut off from one’s own family and friends and spurned by everyone because of fear of contagion.
The leper in this Sunday’s Gospel wants to be cured. His faith that Jesus could cure him is so strong that Jesus tells him: “Be made clean.” And the leprosy leaves him. Even though Jesus asks the leper to be silent about this cure, the leper cannot keep his mouth shut. The leper proclaims to everyone that he has been cured by Jesus.
We are invited by Jesus to become clean in baptism. The early Church had a huge struggle to come to understand: how anyone that was baptized could return to sin? But sin is like leprosy and returns over and over until there is a complete cure. The cure for spiritual leprosy is faith in Jesus Christ.
So, our reflection is: Do we really want to be free of sin? Are we willing to call out to the Lord and ask the Lord to heal us? Are we willing to proclaim the glory of God
Ash Wednesday Observance
Ashes will ONLY be distributed on Ash Wednesday (February 17) as follows:
- 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. (English)
- 5:00 to 6:45 p.m. (English)
- 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. (Spanish)
Call the parish office to register your attendance (to be held every 15 minutes). There will also be a Mass (live-streamed) on Ash Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. For anyone who joins the live-stream Mass please prepare your own ashes (using burnt palms from previous years and holy water). These ashes will be blessed during the virtual Ash Wednesday Mass and would then be distributed by a family member to the other family members. If you are unable to attend the Ash Wednesday service or the live-stream Mass, please call the parish office to register for Holy Communion and the distribution of ashes for Saturday, February 20 (from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.) ONLY.
Live-Streamed Masses
Our live-streaming Masses will continue on Fridays at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. We encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel and like our Facebook Page to be able to watch and get reminders for live-streamed masses and much more!
Friday Live-Streaming Services During Lent
During Lent on Fridays the parish is offering
- 6:00 p.m. Adoration of Blessed Sacrament
- 6:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross
- 7:00 p.m. Mass
We are praying for the sick of our parish: Demetria Meneses, Bernadette Timmers, Faustina Odina, Rita de Cruz, Mary Lavrisa, Dr. Frank Browne, Rita Browne, Bill Quinn, Frank Kovacs, Rita Britto, Raj Udayasekaran, Ingrid Pereira, Titus Passanha, Wilf O’Connor, Joe Rizza, Ma. Concepcion C. Reyes, John Difalco, Nico Bonifacio, Richard White, Dean Menard, Alex Fernandes, Lee Esmonde, Edward Vella, Leopoldo Presto and those with COVID-19. May they be supported by our prayers and pastoral ministry and by the grace of God.
Lenten Fasting and Abstinence
- Ash Wednesday (February 17) is a day of fasting for adults up to the age of 60 and abstinence from eating meat for those who are over 15 years of age.
- Good Friday (April 2) is a day of fasting for adults up to the age of 60 and abstinence from eating meat for those who are over 15 years of age.
- Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from eating meat for those who are over 15 years of age.
Mass Intentions for February 13 – 20, 2021
Saturday 5:00 p.m.
+Rafaele, Sebastiana & Maria Privitera and Moses & Lucy Kennedy, requested by the Privitera family
Sunday 8:30 a.m.
+Leoncio Tacbas, requested by the family
Sunday 10:00 a.m.
+Petrolina De Guzman, requested by the family
Sunday 11:30 a.m.
Intentions of the parish community
Sunday 8:00 p.m.
+Conchita Rosales, requested by the family
Monday 7:30 a.m.
+Agostinho Teixeira, requested by the family
Tuesday 7:30 a.m.
+Ivan Uribe, requested by the family
Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
+John Finney, requested by R. Hassan
Wednesday 7:30 a.m.
+John D’Souza, requested by M. Fernando & L. Young
Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
+Santiago Mantes, requested by F. & G. Mantes
Thursday 7:30 a.m.
+Giuseppe Figlioli, requested by G. Figlioli
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Intentions of Sister Mariani
+John D’Souza, requested by the family
Friday 7:30 a.m.
+James & Philomena Brennan, requested by the family
Friday 7:00 p.m.
+Adoracion & Eliseo Madulid, requested by the family
Saturday 9:00 a.m.
+Felipe Mantes, requested by the Torres family
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.