Baptism of Twins, Luna and Phoenix - St. Elizabeth Church - Sunday, April 14, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

Baptism of Luna and Phoenix, Twins

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

April 14, 2024

~ Photos by Connie Hom

 

Easter Egg Hunt - April 7, 2024 - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Easter Egg Hunt

St. Elizabeth Church

April 7, 2024

~ Photos by Connie Hom

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Second Sunday of Easter - April 7, 2024 - Divine Mercy Sunday

ST. ELIZABETH CHURCH

Second Sunday of Easter

"Divine Mercy Sunday"

April 7, 2024

"Doubting Thomas"

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

This Sunday we welcome Msgr. Tom Miller for Sunday Mass while I am visiting in Michigan.  There will be a Communion Service on April 10th with Deacon Chris Barrett, but no Mass or Communion Service on Friday, April 12th as I will be traveling back to Richmond on Friday.

On April 28th, after the 10 a.m. Mass, we will have a Parish Potluck to celebrate all the people and different cultures that make up our wonderful Parish.  Please bring a dish that is important to you.  Maybe a family recipe or a dish from your culture.  To sign up you can visit the link that is on the other page of the bulletin.

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday.  Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, which is the last day of the Easter Octave.

Let us pray the three prayers of the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

To learn more about Divine Mercy Sunday and how to recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet, click here.

Easter Blessings to you and yours,

Fr.Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS! - Easter Sunday - March 31, 2024 - "He is Risen"

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

"HE IS RISEN!"

March 31, 2024

EASTER SUNDAY

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

Christ is risen!

On this day, we proclaim that he, the Lord of our life, is "the resurrection and the life" of the world.

Let us make haste to surmount our conflicts and divisions, and to open our hearts to those in greatest need.  Let us rejoice at the concrete signs of hope that reach us from so many countries, beginning with those that offer assistance and welcome to all fleeing war and poverty.

At the same time, along this journey we also encounter many stumbling blocks, which make it more difficult and demanding to hasten towards the Risen Lord.  To him, then, let us make our prayer: Lord, help us to run to meet you!  Help us to open our hearts!

Comfort refugees, deportees, political prisoners and migrants, especially those who are most vulnerable, as well as the victims of hunger, poverty and the dire effects of the drug trade, human trafficking and all other forms of slavery.  Lord, inspire the leaders of nations to ensure full respect for human rights; that the common good of the citizenry may be pursued always and solely; and that the security and the conditions needed for dialogue and peaceful coexistence may be guaranteed.

May we rediscover the enjoyment, quicken the heartbeat of hope and experience a foretaste of the beauty of heaven!  Today, let us summon the energy to advance in goodness towards Goodness itself, which never disappoints.  We believe in you, Lord Jesus.  We believe that, with you, hope is reborn and the journey continues.  May you, the Lord of life, encourage us on our journey and repeat to us, as you did with the apostles on the evening of Easter:  "Peace be with you!"

Easter Blessings to you and yours,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

* Easter reflection adapted from Pope Francis' Easter 2023 Urbi et Orbi Message

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Easter Sunday Morning - March 31, 2024 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Easter Sunday Morning

St. Elizabeth Church

March 31, 2024

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The Easter Vigil - March 30, 2024 - Adult Baptism and Confirmation ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 The Easter Vigil

St. Elizabeth Church

Adult Baptism and Confirmation

March 30, 2024

Chris Roop was baptized and Diane Romanello was confirmed on this night!

Chris Roop and Diane Romanello and their Sponsors

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Good Friday- March 29, 2024 - Adoration of the Cross ~ Photos and Explanation by Connie Hom

 Adoration of the Cross

Good Friday

March 29, 2024

Preparation for the Adoration of the Cross

The St. Elizabeth stained glass window was beautiful when the setting sun shone through during the Good Friday Services.

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Holy Thursday, March 28, 2024 - Deacon Chris Washing the Feet of a St. Elizabeth Parishioner ~ Photos by Connie Hom

St. Elizabeth Church 

Holy Thursday

March 28, 2024

Washing of the Feet

Mass Continues---

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Palm Sunday - March 24, 2024

 St. Elizabeth Church

Palm Sunday

March 24, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem manifested the coming of the kingdom that the King-Messiah was going to accomplish by the Passover of his Death and Resurrection.  It is the celebration of that entry on Palm Sunday that the Church's liturgy solemnly opens Holy Week.  Holy Week, particularly Christ's Passion and Death, is a great reminder of God's Love for humanity.  The period beginning with The Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday evening to our Easter celebrations is referred to as the Sacred Triduum.  Please join us for the following schedule as we celebrate this most Holy of Weeks.

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday, March 28th - Mass at 7 p.m. 

Good Friday, March 29th

Stations of the Cross at 12 p.m.

Service at 7 p.m.

Easter Vigil, March 30th

Confessions from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Vigil Mass at 7 p.m.

Easter Sunday, March 31st - Masses at 8:30* and 10 a.m.

* There will be instrumental only music to accompany the 8:30 a.m. Mass.

Prayer for Preparing Ourselves for Holy Week:

Lord, my Shepherd, my Stronghold and my Refuge.  Take me under your wing, O Lord, and let me know that you do not reject me as long as I keep asking you to forgive me.  Perhaps my doubt in your forgiveness is a greater sin than the sins I consider too great to be forgiven.  Perhaps I make myself too important, too great when I think that I cannot be embraced by you anymore.  Lord, look at me, accept my prayer as you accepted Peter's prayer, and let me not run away from you in the night as Judas did.

Bless me Lord, in this Holy Week and give me the grace to know your loving presence more intimately.  Amen.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

Information on Holy Week derived from ewtn.con

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Fifth Sunday of Lent - St. Patrick's Day - March 17, 2024

St. Elizabeth Church

Fifth Sunday of Lent / St. Patrick's Day

March 17, 2024

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I would like to thank everyone who donated to our 2024 Diocesan Annual Appeal.  This past week, we reached 100% of our goal.  Thank you to all who supported this appeal whether through your monetary contributions or your prayers.

On March 23rd, we will have a Lenten Retreat led by Sr. Annes James and a communal Reconciliation service at 12 p.m.  "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship."  (CCC, no. 1468)  The Sacrament of Penance is an experience of the gift of God's boundless mercy.  Not only does it free us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us.  I encourage you to attend this wonderful service as we prepare for the Season of Lent to come to a close and the start of Easter celebrations.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May  the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm on your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead!

Irish Blessings to you and yours,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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Information on the Sacrament of Penance derived from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)and United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

 

Holy Rosary and St. Elizabeth Catholic Church's Videography Workshop - March 9, 2024 ~ Photos by Fr. Tochi, Pastor of Holy Rosary, Commentary by Connie Hom

Holy Rosary and St. Elizabeth Church

Videography Workshop

March 9, 2024

On Saturday, March 9th, Holy Rosary and St. Elizabeth had a videography had a videography workshop.

Sam Anderson with Enso Media facilitated a two-hour workshop with approximately twenty youth and adults.  The objective was to learn the skills of videoing.

Here is Sam's post on Facebook.

Sam's post

~ Photos by Fr. Tochi, Pastor of Holy Rosary

~ Commentary by Connie Hom