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Jerusalem” (Rejoice, O Jerusalem). It is a day of joy within the mourning season. The altars may be decorated with flowers and with the priests wearing rose-colored vestments instead of purple. It is the middle of Lent. As a symbol of joy, the popes used to carry a golden rose in their right hand when returning from the celebration of Mass. The popes blessed every year, and often they confer it upon churches, shrines, cities, or distinguished persons as a token of esteem and paternal affection. The Golden Rose represents Jesus Christ in the shining splendor of His majesty. From this ecclesiastical custom Laetare Sunday acquired its German name, Rosensonntag (Sunday of the Rose). ST. ANNE’S GUILD CORNER Dear friends St. Anne's Guild, and of St. Margaret Mary Parish: Thank you for working with me to plan, organize and execute a terrifically successful fundraiser for our parish, the 2008 Mardi Gras Dinner Dance and Auction which took place last month. The event netted over $28,000!! This magnificent feat could not have been done without the encouragement and physical help of... Dan Mullen, my dear husband, and family - Father Stan Zak - His Excellency, Bishop Allen Vigneron - Valerie and John Burkart & family - Sara and Bill Cumbelich & family - Grace and Hugo daSilva - Imogene and Frank Martin - Jack and Mary Sullivan & family - Maria and Paul Cornett & family - Marc and Lucia Wyborny & family - David Sundhal - Henrietta Boyd - Frances Geiger - Laura Montgomery - Patricia Hierro - Eugenia Hunter - Betty Garland - Lolita Morelli - Bill Duffy - Brion Wikes and Claudia Bermudez - Alice and Mike Spragge - Jim Mahoney – Simon Tang – Walter Wagoner - Linda Fealy – Teresa, Thomas, Sophia and Juliana Price – Johnnie Calderon - Parish Confirmation Students. Thank you to all donors of auction items and our guests who bid on them. Thank you to all our guests who came to support our fundraising efforts, I hope that you had a magnificent evening in a fun atmosphere among friends. Now the completion of the renovation of our parish tower can proceed. Our Lord has richly blessed St. Margaret Mary Parish!! Lily Mullen Humble member of the Mystic Krewe of St. Anne AMDG NEW The St. Anne’s Guild will be hosting a New |
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Membership Tea on Saturday, March 15 at 2pm in the parish hall. This is a great opportunity to meet the ladies and gentlemen of the Guild and to learn more about our mission, upcoming events and how you can get involved in this worthwhile group. Please RSVP to Lily Mullen by Friday, March 14 to lilypad@sysmatrix.net or (925)827-1946 EASTER PARADE For a few years now, our parish has participated in St. Vincent de Paul’s Easter Parade project. The Easter Parade project provides new clothes for low income children in our diocese for Easter. In the vestibule of our church, near the choir loft door, is the familiar “clothes line” with tags for children’s clothes. Just take a tag, purchase either a dress for a girl, or pants and shirt for a boy in the size indicated on the tag. Then bring it back before March 16, Palm Sunday. Volunteers from our parish will take all the items to the Oakland St. Vincent de Paul center before Good Friday. Thank you for your generosity in providing new Easter outfits for needy children. Want to help with the Easter Parade project at our parish? We need helpers after the 12:30 Mass each Sunday to take the clothes to the parish hall and store them in a closet there. If you can help, please contact Lily Mullen (925)827-1946. FASTING, In 1966 Pope Paul VI reorganized the Church's practice of public penance in his "Apostolic Constitution on Penance" (Poenitemini). The 1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law incorporated the changes made by Pope Paul VI. Not long after that, the U.S. bishops applied the canonical requirements to the practice of public penance in our country. To sum up those requirements, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In addition, all Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent. Fasting, as explained by the U.S. bishops, means partaking of only one full meal. Some food (not equaling another full meal) is permitted at breakfast and around midday or in the evening—depending on when a person chooses to eat the main or full meal. Abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat. Each year, in publishing the Lenten penance requirements, the U.S. bishops quote the teaching of the Holy Father concerning the seriousness of observing |
