Text Box: praying, we allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God. At the same time, fasting is an aid to open our eyes to the situation in which so many of our brothers and sisters live. In his First Letter, Saint John admonishes: "If anyone has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, yet shuts up his bowels of compassion from him – how does the love of God abide in him?" (3,17). Voluntary fasting enables us to grow in the spirit of the Good Samaritan, who bends low and goes to the help of his suffering brother (cf. Encyclical Deus caritas est, 15). By freely embracing an act of self-denial for the sake of another, we make a statement that our brother or sister in need is not a stranger. It is precisely to keep alive this welcoming and attentive attitude towards our brothers and sisters that I encourage the parishes and every other community to intensify in Lent the custom of private and communal fasts, joined to the reading of the Word of God, prayer and almsgiving. From the beginning, this has been the hallmark of the Christian community, in which special collections were taken up (cf. 2 Cor 8-9; Rm 15, 25-27), the faithful being invited to give to the poor what had been set aside from their fast (Didascalia Ap., V, 20,18). This practice needs to be rediscovered and encouraged again in our day, especially during the liturgical season of Lent. From what I have said thus far, it seems abundantly clear that fasting represents an important ascetical practice, a spiritual arm to do battle against every possible disordered attachment to ourselves. Freely chosen detachment from the pleasure of food and other material goods helps the disciple of Christ to control the appetites of nature, weakened by original sin, whose negative effects impact the entire human person. Quite opportunely, an ancient hymn of the Lenten liturgy exhorts: "Utamur ergo parcius, / verbis cibis et potibus, / somno, iocis et arctius / perstemus in custodia – Let us use sparingly words, food and drink, sleep and amusements. May we be more alert in the custody of our senses." Dear brothers and sisters, it is good to see how the ultimate goal of fasting is to help each one of us, as the Servant of God Pope John Paul II wrote, to make the complete gift of self to God (cf. Encyclical Veritatis splendor, 21). May every family and Christian community use well this time of Lent, therefore, in order to cast aside all that distracts the spirit and grow in whatever nourishes the soul, moving it to love of God and neighbor. I am thinking especially of a greater commitment to prayer, lectio divina, recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and active participation in the Eucharist, especially the Holy Sunday Mass. With this interior disposition, let us enter the penitential spirit of Lent. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Causa nostrae laetitiae, accompany and support us in the effort to free our heart from slavery to sin, making it evermore a "living tabernacle of God." With these wishes, while assuring every believer and ecclesial community of my prayer for a fruitful Lenten journey, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing. From the Vatican, 11 December 2008. BENEDICTUS PP. XVI +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PRAY FOR ALL THE SICK: For all who are sick: members of our families, friends, parishioners, and especially: Fr. Joseph Fiedorowicz; Titus Ekanem; Maynard & Irene Omernik; Andy & Vic Miloslavich; Martin Koch; Bro. Paul McCarthy; Jenny Maderious; Donald Braten; Nellie Lydon; Dave Van Sciver; Harry Garland; Maria Leskiw; Fr. Theo Palis; Fr. Text Box: Vladimir Kozina; Sister Antonette Fong; Martha Tork; Lianne Claver; Rowland Sum; Emil Soljack; Margaret Olivier-Leary; Debbie Edwards; Bill Miller; Hugo da Silva; William Miller; Juan & Nancy Duenas; Theresa Dinh; Irene Omernik; Hugo da Silva; Debbie Mansfield and her baby son Clement; Kathy Faulkner; Catherine Lindsey; Thomas Henriksson; Gia Behrens; Jose Isidro; Brent Braun; Roger Dorn; Maureen Nassiri; Victor Kish; Frank Mahoney; and those whose names are written in the Book of the Sick, and all sick people in the entire world. PRAY FOR THE DEAD: For deceased members of our families, friends, parishioners & benefactors of our parish: Bill Leitao; Harry Winkler; Inetta Calori; those who died recently: Jeanne Clark; Jerry Fitzpatrick Sr.; Maynard Omernik; Curt Wada; Jack Russel; Fr Pat Keane; Roy Zahn; Simon Tang; ...................... and for all the faithful departed, especially for all the Poor Souls in Purgatory. OUR PARISH BULLETIN Additional advertising support is needed to cover the expenses of printing our parish bulletin. Now we have 8 pages every week. If you are a business owner, or know of someone who might wish to place an ad, please e-mail our BULLETIN PUBLISHER: mpublications@sbcglobal.net; or call them at 888-253-4358. Please patronize our advertisers. LECTORS NEEDED Do you like to read aloud, and would you like to proclaim the readings, psalm and Prayer of the Faithful at Mass to the congregation? If so, please give Father Zak (stanzak7@yahoo.com) or the Lectors Coordinator, Lynn Suer, (lynnsuer@aol.com), your contact information, and let us know which Mass you usually attend so we can make up a schedule. Also tell us when you are not available to read. God bless you! HOLY MASS INTENTIONS: We still have empty spots for Holy Mass intentions in the 2nd half of February. If you would like to have Holy Mass celebrated for your intention or your loved ones, living or dead, please contact the parish office. PRAY FOR OUR SERVICEMEN & SOLDIERS: Robert Hoops, Thomas Campana, Connor O’Keefe, Matthew Valenzuela, Steven Mayer & other American soldiers and servicemen. EXECUTIVE HOME FOR SALE Contractor’s own home: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and office, all on the main floor. Spacious marble entry. Large living room w/marble fireplace, Gracious formal dining room. Kitchen w/nook and large deck off ample family room. 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