Text Box: all the faithful of our diocese to participate in a Corpus Christi Procession. All First Holy Communion girls (of this and previous years), and other girls, please come in your white dresses to sprinkle floral petals in front of the Blessed Sacrament during the Processions. All First Holy Communion boys of like years & other boys, please come in your suits & ties to also participate in this Procession. THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS On the Friday following the Feast of Corpus Christi is the devotional Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the theme of this day which honors Jesus for the love symbolized by His Heart. Devotion to the Sacred Heart became popular with mystics in the 13th & 14th centuries, with a special promotion by the Jesuits in the 16th century. The tradition became widespread as a result of a series of visions of the Sacred Heart revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun, between 1673 – 1675. Almost 200 years later, in 1856, a special feast was mandated for the Universal Church. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII ordered that the world be consecrated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Pius XI elevated the feast to the same rank as Christmas. There are many religious traditions associated with devotion to the Sacred Heart apart from the feast itself. EASTER SEASON AND EASTER DUTY The fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost are celebrated in joyful exultation as one feast day, or better, as one GREAT SUNDAY. The Easter Season marks the high point of the liturgical year, because, during this time, we celebrate both Jesus’ Resurrection and, through it, our restored relationship with God. The faithful should receive Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confession during the Easter Season. This period for the Easter Duties is from Ash Wednesday until Trinity Sunday (this year May 18th) Text Box: ST. ANNE’S GUILD CORNER The Wine and Cheese Evening will take place on Saturday, May 10 at 6:30 pm at the Cumbelich home in Piedmont. Everyone interested in the work and mission of the St. Anne’s Guild in our parish is invited to attend. Please put this fun event on your calendar! Look for more information in the upcoming weeks. If you need any information about the Guild please contact Mary Sullivan at (510)521-9243 or Lily Mullen at (925)827-1946 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.