FR. JIM'S JOTS - First Sunday of Lent - February 26, 2023

 First Sunday of Lent

February 26, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

Please mark your calendars for next Sunday, March 5th.  Catholic Community Foundation will be holding a free, informative, information-only, Get Your Affairs in Order:  4 things your family will thank you for Seminar!  If you don't have a Will or you need to update yours, please make an effort to attend.  Information on Wills, Trusts, Catholic Advanced Medical Directives, Funeral & Burial Planning and Legacy Planning.  This will take place in the Parish Office directly after the 10:00 a.m. Mass.  To RSVP, please contact Eva at the Parish Office: call 804-329-4599, ext. 10 or email evabalkarli@stelizcc.org  

March 5th, we will also be having a potluck after the 10 a.m. Mass.  Sign up to set up, clean up, or to bring a dish, on the kiosk in the vestibule.  Religious Education for Teens and Adults (English), Teens and Adults (Swahili), Kids (K-7th grade) from 11:15 - 11:45 a.m. with Potluck lunch to follow at 12:00 p.m.

Please join us for Stations of the Cross held every Friday in Lent, except Good Friday.  Stations will be in the church and on Zoom at 6 p.m.  A light meal will be served before in the Parish Hall at 5 p.m.

Lenten Blessings,

Fr. Jim Arsenault 

Pastor

~ Image Source

Ash Wednesday at St. Elizabeth's - February 22, 2023 - Start of Lenten Season - Pray, Fast and Give Alms ~ Photos by Lula Lamb and M. A. Allen

 Praying, Fasting and Almsgiving

Ash Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Church

February 22, 2023

Three Photos by Lula Lamb

Fr. Jim preparing the ashes - Noon on Ash Wednesday!

Blessing the ashes to distribute.

Congregation at noon for distribution of ashes!

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Three photos by M. A. Allen

Distribution at the Evening Mass on Ash Wednesday!

The Choir at the Evening Mass on Ash Wednesday 2023

 

St. Elizabeth Centennial Fashion Show! - A Great Time Was Had By All! - Saturday, February 18, 2023 ~ Photos by M. A. Allen

 St. Elizabeth Fashion Show!

February 18, 2023

The stage was set!

Fr. Jim

Sister opens with prayer!

Merceider, our Hostess

"Some Enchanted Evening!"

The Dancer!

Some of our wonderful Models for the Fashion Show!

Sorry, I was not able to get good pictures of the models.  Too dark!  Perhaps someone else will send me better photos!

FR JIM'S JOTS - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 19, 2023

 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 19, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

Let us pray for the departed souls of the Black faithful of the Americas such as those captured iin Africa and who died in chains in the bowels of the slave ships or who embraced death over slavery; those lynched by racist mobs and the Ku Klux Klan; those runaway slaves who were captured and killed.

God of justice, in your wisdom you created all people in your image, without exception.  Through your goodness, open our eyes to see the dignity, beauty, and worth of every human being.  Open our minds to understand that all your children are brothers and sisters in the same human family.  Open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviors, and speech which demean others.  Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination, and their passionate appeals for change.  Strengthen our resolve to make amends for past injustices and to right the wrongs of history.  Fill us with courage that we might seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

Blessings,

+ Fr. Jim Arsenault, Pastor

~ Image Source

Memory Project 1969 - The Story of St. Joseph's Church and Van de Vyver School ~ Photo by Mary Ann Allen

 Memory Project 1969

The Story of St. Joseph Catholic Church 

and

Van de Vyver School

The Church had the opportunity to watch the Memory Project 1969 which told the story of St. Joseph Catholic Church and Van de Vyver School in Jackson Ward and their closing in 1969.

Featured were several former parishioners of the church and school who spoke of their experiences growing up attending the church and as students in the school.  They spoke about what the church and school meant to them and to the families of parishioners there and the trauma that occured when the church and school were closed. 

Frances Churchwell Pope and Mary Thompson Walker

After the presentation, former parishioners Frances Pope and Mary Walker of St. Joseph's and Van de Vyver were on hand to talk of their experiences and to answer any questions those who attended had. 

A very nice presentation.

~ Photo by Mary Ann Allen

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 12, 2023

 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

Did you know?

There are five African American Catholics who are being proposed for Sainthood.  They are Pierre Toussaint (New York), Henriette DeLille (New Orleans), Mary Elizabeth Lange (Baltimore), Augustin Tolton (Chicago) and Julia Greeley (Denver).

Other fun facts...

There have been 3 African Popes in the Catholic Church:

Pope Gelasius I, who was Pope from March 1, 492 to his death in 496.

Pope Miltiades, who was Pope of the Catholic Church from 311 to his death in 314.

Pope Victor I was the first Bishop of Rome born in the Roman Province of Africa.  The dates of his tenure are uncertain.  However, one source states he became Pope in 189 and died in 199.

There are 3 million African American Catholics in the United States.  Of Roman Catholic parishes in the United States, 798 are predominantly African American.  Most of those continue to be on the East Coast and in the South.

At present, there are 15 living African American bishops, of whom 8 remain active.

Currently, six U.S. dioceses are headed by African American bishops, including one archdiocese.

There are 250 African American priests, 437 deacons and 75 men of African descent in seminary formation for the priesthood in the United States.

There are 400 African American religious sisters and 50 religious brothers.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

Pastor

~ Information gathered from:  denvercatholic. org

Children's Liturgy and New Female Altar Servers - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 12, 2023 ~ Photos by Lula Lamb

 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2023

10:00 a.m. Mass

Deacon Chris Blessing the Children's Liturgy Participants in Swahili!

Our New Female Altar Servers!

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

Father Jim's Jots - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 5, 2023

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 5, 2023

Light of the World

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Welcome to Black History Month!

It is going to be a busy month so I hope we can pray and reflect on how we can work together to End the Sin of Racism and work for Racial Harmony.

We kick off today with the "National Day of Prayer for the African American and African Family."  Join us for a potluck after the 10 a.m. Mass today.

On February 10th, 11th and 12th, we have several youths from our parish attending the Diocesan Youth conference.  I will be helping with confessions on Saturday Feb. 11th.  Please pray for those attending:  Chaperones: Liz Wiznerowicz, Erin Cleary, Abedi Shishi.  Students:  Spay Adou, Fabrice Niyitanga, Jerimah Henderson, Remis Shishi, Matthew Shishi, Mandeleni Washishi.

On February 22nd, we are hosting our Fashion Show starting from 2-5 p.m.  Special thanks to Karen Carter and ALL who have spent hours on this unique Centennial event.  All are welcome and refreshments will be served.

On Sunday, February 22nd, Super Bowl Sunday, we are asking for your help to bring food items; not cans but bags of rice and beans.  There will be a collection basket in the front of church by our Crucifix.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

Pastor

Black History Month

 ~ Image Source

~ Black History Month