Text Box: grave a departure from Christian teaching as is denial of Christ's Resurrection. Christ's bodily Ascension foreshadows our own entrance into Heaven not simply as souls, after our death, but as glorified bodies, after the resurrection of the dead at the Final Judgment. In redeeming mankind, Christ not only offered salvation to our souls but began the restoration of the material world itself to the glory that God intended before Adam's fall. By the late fourth century, the feast of the Ascension was celebrated in some parts of the church on the fortieth day after Easter (see Acts. 1:3, 9-11). Originally, this mystery of the ending of Jesus’ visible presence among his followers seems to have been observed as part of the outpouring of the Spirit on the 50th day, or Pentecost. For the first time, the original 50-day festival was broken. The weekdays between the Ascension and Pentecost are a preparation period for the outpouring of the Spirit. It is popularly called the Pentecost Novena (see Acts 1:14).The Feast of the Ascension marks the beginning of the first novena, or nine days of prayer. Before His Ascension, Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to His apostles. Their prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which began on Ascension Thursday, ended with the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, ten days later. Pentecost, itself, closes out the Easter season. It celebrates the overwhelming experience of God pouring out the Spirit upon the first community of those who believed Jesus was the Lord and Christ (see Acts. 2:1-4). Pentecost is called, therefore, the birth of the church, or the birth of the church’s mission. THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY – In the 11th & 12th centuries, different places started devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In 1799 Pius VI, then in captivity in Florence, granted the bishop of Palermo permission to celebrate the Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary in his diocese. On July 21, 1855, the Congregation of Rites finally approved the Office & Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In different places, this Feast is celebrated at different times of the year. 92nd ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY’S APPARITION AT FATIMA Every year from May to October, in many Catholic parishes around the world, Catholics celebrate the anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to three Portuguese children: Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia. We plan to celebrate Fatima services in our Church every month with Holy Mass, the Rosary in different languages and a candlelight procession. The first service this year will be this week on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 7:30 PM. Please come and invite others. If you speak other languages, please contact Fr. Stan at 510-482-0596. MARIAN LITANIES Late in the Middle Ages, litanies seeking Mary’s intercession became common. This simple and popular form of praying addresses Mary using a series of titles with the petition, “Pray for us.” The Litany of Loreto, familiar to Catholics, was approved by Sixtus V in 1587. It received this title because it was popular at the shrine of Loreto in Italy. This litany was made popular by St. Peter Canisius. It has about fifty titles for Mary, the most recent, “Queen assumed into heaven,” was added by Pius XII in 1950. Text Box: ANGELUS In the 15th century, it became customary to ring church bells to remind the faithful to pray in honor of Mary and to remember the mystery of the Incarnation. This tradition of the Angelus (from the Latin angelus, “angel,” the first word of the Angelus prayer) imitates the ancient monastic call to prayer by ringing the church bells. It is still popular today in many parishes. A series of Hail Marys, spaced with invocations to Mary and a concluding prayer, are prayed as the church bells ring at 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM. MARIAN MOVEMENT of PRIESTS CENACLE - 4th Sunday of every month at 3:30 p.m. in our church. This Sunday April 26, at 3.30PM Holy Mass will be said for the Marian Movement of Priests (this is a movement for lay people, priests and religious who wish to pray for priests), followed by Holy Hour with Benediction afterwards. Please come to pray for our priests. Everybody is welcome. Please inform and invite others. Next month Marian Movement Mass: May 24, 2009, at 3.30pm. OUR NEW BISHOP The Most Reverend Salvatore Cordileone was installed as a Fourth Bishop of the Oakland diocese at the Cathedral of Christ the Light on the last Tuesday, May 5, at noon. Please pray for the intention of our NEW BISHOP. AD MULTOS ANNOS !!! HOLY MASS INTENTIONS We still have empty spots for Holy Mass intentions at THE END OF JUNE. If you would like to have Holy Mass celebrated for your intentions or for your loved ones (living or dead), please contact the parish office. CONGRATULATIONS On Saturday, May 2nd, Walter Wagoner, Paul York, Joseph Mullen and John G. Burkart were presented with the Altar Server Award during the Oakland Diocese Chapter of the Knights of Columbus Annual Bishop's Vocation & Priest Recognition Dinner. A special recognition was given to Mr. Walter Wagoner for over 50 years of service to Our Lord and the parish of St. Margaret Mary Church. Our pastor, Fr. Stan Żak, was present for occasion (pictures of that event are on our parish website). A Big Thank You and Congratulations to All!! LECTORS NEEDED Do you like to read aloud, and would you like to proclaim the readings and Prayer of the Faithful at Mass to the congregation? If so, please give Father Żak (stanzak7@yahoo.com) or Lynn Suer (lynnsuer@aol.com), the Lectors Coordinator, 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!