Text Box: our children waiting for their VERY IMPORTANT DAY, when they receive, for the first time, Jesus in the Holy Eucharist; and pray also for their parents and teachers. OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE CHILDREN AND TO THEIR PARENTS. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL EASTER PARADE A huge THANK YOU goes to all who brought new children’s clothing during Lent as part of this worthwhile drive. Over 150 articles were delivered to the St. Vincent de Paul Visitation Center in Oakland on behalf of St. Margaret Mary Parish to be distributed prior to Easter. This drive provided new Easter clothing for poor children who usually don’t get new clothes. Please include these children and their families in your prayers. Thank you for your generosity! CONFESSION: (Continuation) Why Is Confession Necessary?: Non-Catholics, and even many Catholics, often ask whether they can confess their sins directly to God, and whether God can forgive them without going through a priest. On the most basic level, of course, the answer is yes, and Catholics should make frequent acts of contrition, which are prayers in which we tell God that we are sorry for our sins and ask for His forgiveness. But the question misses the point of the Sacrament of Confession. The sacrament, by its very nature, confers graces that help us to live a Christian life, which is why the Church requires us to receive it at least once per year. Moreover, it was instituted by Christ as the proper form for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore, we should not only be willing to receive the sacrament, but we should embrace it as a gift from a loving God. It is not difficult to understand the value in the Church ministry of divine mercy for the salvation of souls. That ministry of many confessors who, with their spiritual insight, helped penitents to understand that the regular celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and a Christian life that aspires to holiness are inseparable elements of the same spiritual process for every baptized person. May the Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy and of Hope, help all confessors to carry out zealously and joyfully this great Text Box: service on which the Church's life so intensely depends. If you need help to make a good Confession; please pick up brochure in the vestibule of the church; ask prists or visit our website: www.stmargmaryoak.org CATHOLIC TV NOTICE (Regarding the Pope's U.S Visit: April 15—20) Pope Benedict XVI said he wants to bring a message of Christian hope to all Americans and to the United Nations when he visits our country: "I shall come to the United States as pope for the first time to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition," EWTN's live and encore telecasts of Pope Benedict XVI's U.S. visit include the White House Welcoming Ceremony, April 16 at 7 am and 6 pm; the Mass at Nationals Park, April 17 at 6:30 am and 9 pm; the address to the U.N., April 18 at 7:30 am and 5 pm; the Meeting with Young People, April 19 at 1 pm and 5 pm; the visit to Ground Zero, April 20 at 6 am and 8 am; and the Mass at Yankee Stadium, April 20 at 11 am and 7pm. All times are Pacific Time.  EWTN is carried on Comcast Ch. 229; DISH Satellite Ch. 261; and Direct TV Ch. 370.  In Alameda EWTN airs on Comcast Ch. 30 and Alameda Power Ch. 26.  Visit: www.ewtn.com for a complete schedule of EWTN's papal visit telecasts. Please pray also for our Holy Father safety during His Pilgrimage to our country. Immaculate Heart Radio’s Spring On-Air Pledge Drive Will be held Tuesday, May 20th through Thursday, May 22nd from 6 am to 6 pm each day at Mater Dolorosa School in South San Francisco. We need your help to answer phone calls, run errands, or help with hospitality. If you can help for an hour or a couple of hours any day, please call Debora Heinrichs at 916-535-0500 ext. 221 or email her at: dheinrichs@ihradio.org. PILGRIMAGES: (2008/2009) September 1—15, 2008; to THE HOLY LAND - ”In the footsteps of Jesus Christ”. We will really walk in the footsteps of Our Lord in the Land of His birth, where He lived for 33 years and died for our Salvation. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience. February 9—23, 2009: to Brazil & Argentina –TBA later.