ASH WEDNESDAY 2026 - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - February 18, 2026

 ASH WEDNESDAY

February 18, 2026

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 15, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 15, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today is the last Sunday in Ordinary Time before Lent starts.  During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms and we practice self control through fasting.  We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully.  Ash Wednesday Mass will be at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the church and Adoration will follow the 5 p.m. Mass.

Here are three tips to deepen your relationship with God during the 40 days of Lent. 1) Participate in the sacraments.  2) Help those in need around you.  3) Sacrifice something that's hard for you.

There are three main components of Lent:  Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.  Making a commitment to do more of these things helps deepen our relationship with God.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has an online database of prayers for different causes and occasions:  www.usccb.org/prayers.  If you need a place to help you get started to add more prayer to your life, I encourage you to go to this website and find some different prayers that are meaningful to you. 

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics.  In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.

For Catholics, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59.  When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as, two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.  All Catholics aged 14 and up abstain from consuming meat that is not fish or shellfish as abstinence laws consider that meat comes from animals such as chickens, cows, sheep or pigs --- all of which live on land.

By the usher's table are materials for Scripture readings and reflections and Catholic Relief Rice Bowls.  These materials are free and I encourage all households to take one of each for their family.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Information regarding Lent from usccb.org

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 8, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 8, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings, 

I want to say thank you to the children who participated in our rescheduled celebrations of Catholic Schools Week.  We had originally planned to do this on Jan. 25th but we cancelled due to the snow.  We have over 20 children in our parish who attend Catholic schools in Richmond.  Are you interested in enrolling your child in a Catholic school?  Our parish partners with All Saints Catholic School and Cristo Rey Richmond High School, please visit their websites or speak to our Religious Education Director, Liz Wiznerowitz (religioused@stelizcc.org).

Lent starts on Wednesday, February 18th with Ash Wednesday.  Please see the Lent callendar that is in this bulletin to stay up to date with all of the events our Parish has planned.  There is Stations of the Cross every Friday (except Feb. 27th and Good Friday); and throughout the 40 days leading up to Easter, Confessions, Adoration and more!  You can also visit our website at stelizcc.org/events/ to see our live calendar.

We have a variety of Black History Month events planned for the month of February.  If you did not get the flyer in last Sunday's bulletin, please see the flyer on the kiosk by the front doors or in th E-bulletin.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 1, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 1, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

We will have Mass at the usual times this Sunday:  8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.  I hope everyone was able to stay safe during the past week due to the weather conditions.

This Sunday we read the story of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew's Gospel.  Below is an excerpt from Pope Francis' 2020 General Audience regarding the Beatitudes.  This is a wonderful breakdown on the meaning of the Beatitudes and how as Christians, we should apply them to our daily lives.  I recommend you read the entire message online if you are able, but these excerpts touch on the core of the message.

This passage, which starts the "Sermon on the Mount", illuminated the lives of the believers and also that of many non-believers.  It is difficult not to be touched by these words of Jesus and the desire to understand them and welcome them ever more fully is righteous.  The Beatitudes provide the "identity card" of Christians - this is our identity card - because they outline the face of Jesus himself, his style of living.

...the "mount" recalls Sinai, where God gave Moses the Commandments.  Jesus begins to teach a new law:  to be poor, to be meek, to be merciful...  These "new commandments" are much more than a set of rules.  Indeed, Jesus does not impose anything but reveals the way of happiness - his way - by repeating the word "blessed" eight times.

...the reason behind the Beatitudes is not a current situation, but rather, the new condition that the blessed receive as a gift from God:  because "theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven", because "they shall be comforted", because "they shall inherit the earth" and so on.

But what does the word "blessed" mean?  Because each of the eight Beatitudes begins with the word "blessed".  The original term does not mean one with a full belly or one who is doing well, but rather, it is a person who is in a condition of grace, who progresses in God's grace and progresses on God's path:  patience, poverty, service to others, comfort...  Those who advance in these things are happy and shall be blessed.

In order to give himself to us, God often chooses unthinkable paths, perhaps the path of our limitations, of our tears, of our defeats.

The Beatitudes always bring you to joy.  They are the paths to reach joy.  It will do us good to take Matthew's Gospel today, chapter 5, verses 1-11, and to read the Beatitudes - perhaps a few more times throughout the week - in order to understand this very beautiful path, so sure of the happiness the Lord offers us.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 25, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 25, 2026

 FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

As you know, we are closed this Sunday due to winter weather.  There will be no Mass this Sunday, in person or online, as unsafe travel conditions are grounds for dispensation from the Sunday Mass Obligation.  Please stay home, stay warm and stay safe!

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed 2026 as a special Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi.  This special year will take place from January 10th, 2026 to January 10th, 2027; the later date being the 800th Anniversary of St. Francis' death.  The life of the Poor Man of Assisi shows that God's mercy works in history also through people who have opened their hearts to his actions.

Therefore, the jubilee is an opportunity for the faithful to rekindle their faith, strengthen their relationship with God and with the community of the Church.

You can click here to read the full letter from Pope Leo XIV to the Ministers General of the Conference of the Franciscan family.  A significant element of the document is the care shown for the sick and the elderly who cannot leave their homes; they may unite themselves spiritually to the celebration of the Year of Saint Francis by offering to God their prayers, sufferings and daily difficulties of life and by committing themselves to fulfilling the usual conditions as soon as this becomes possible.

In the document of the Apostolic Penitentiary, we read these words:  "This Year of Saint Francis should encourage all of us, each according to his or her own possibilities, to imitate the Poor Man of Assisi."  What message does the life of Saint Francis offer to modern man?

For today's person, living in a world of consumerism, this is an extremely timely invitation to moderation, responsible use of goods and placing God and neighbor above material possessions:  it is a matter of "being" more than "having."

Not least, St. Francis also shows that peace is born from a converted heart, not from self-interested declarations or compromises without truth.  In a world marked by conflicts, social violence and insecurity, his life is a call to build peace based on the Gospel of Christ, the only Redeemer of humanity!

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

(Notes on the Jubilee Year of St. Francis adapted from vaticannews.va)

 

 

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 18, 2026

Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 18, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

I am currently in Michigan making a visit to my sister, but I will be back in Richmond on Tuesday.  I thank Msgr. Richard Mooney for celebrating our Sunday Masses in my absence.

Those who are raised in the Catholic Faith are baptized before the age of 7 and receive their other two Sacraments of Initiation, First Communion and Confirmation at different times.  Those who are not baptized before the age of 7 are asked to go through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).  This is because Canon Law recognizes 7 years old to be the "age of reason".

Code of Canon Law Can. 97 §2: "A minor before the completion of the seventh year is called an infant and is considered not responsible for oneself (non sui compos).  With the completion of the seventh year, however, a minor is presumed to have the use of reason."

This means that those who are 7-years-old and older go through formation in OCIA and receive Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation at the same time.  If you were baptized in a Christian religion but never received First Communion or Confirmation in the Catholic Church or you have never received any Sacraments and you are interested in becoming Catholic, I invite you to join our OCIA classes that start at the end of January.

I will be leading the first several classes when I return from Michigan.  This article from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explains the steps of OCIA if you are interested in learning more about the process.  You can read it by visiting bit.ly/usccb-ocia online.  Or you can email me or our Director of OCIA, Chris Metzger at ocia@stelizcc.org.

Lastly, next week, January 25th, marks the start of Celebrate Catholic Schools Week!  All Saints Catholic School (ASCS) is just down the road from our Parish on Noble Ave.  ASCS is part of our parish, as we contribute every year for children to pursue their education.  ASCS came into existence in 1982, a mergfer between St. Elizabeth Parish School and St. Paul's Parish School.  The present building was at one time St. Paul's School.  In 2004, St. Patrick's merged into All Saints School.  Van de Vyver school served students for 50+ years from 1910 to 1969.  Some of its families' subsequent generations have gone on to attend All Saints.  See this bulletin for more information about supporting our schools and enrolling your students!

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - January 11, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

The Baptism of the Lord

January 11, 2026

 FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord!  It is also the First Sunday in Ordinary Time.  During this time of year, we acknowledge Christ manifested in our world with feasts such as Christmas, Epiphany and the one we celebrate today.  Because of this, we continue with white and gold liturgical colors this Sunday and will move to the green of Ordinary Time next week.  We will be in Ordinary Time for a few weeks before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, February 18th.  Our Lent schedule will be shared soon so please keep a look out for that.

I would like to share how our Parish has grown since last year.  We now have 212 registered households and 542 members.  Of our registered members, 122 are children ages 0 to 17.  Sacraments in 2025:  Baptisms: 17, First Communions:  8, Confirmation:  3, OCIA: 5, Marriage:  2.

We have more than 20 children enrolled at different Catholic Schools, including All Saints Catholic School, Cristo Rey Richmond and Saint Gertrude High School!

Our Parish continues to grow!  If you are a new family to the Parish and would like to register, we have forms on the bulletin board by the front doors or visit stelizcc.org/join-our-parish

I encourage everyone to visit the Vatican News website and to add it to your regular news rotation.  We hear constantly of terrible things happening in our country from our news sources, so I encourage you to refresh and read something different.  The Vatican covers global news but also all the important things happening in our Church.  Visit:  www.vaticannews.va

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

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FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Feast of the Epiphany - January 4, 2026

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Feast of the Epiphany

January 4, 2026

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings,

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord!  Epiphany has several meanings, including "manifestation" or "sudden insight."  In the context of the feast, it means that the God-man Jesus Christ was manifested to the world, as represented by the Magi and different peoples from whom they came.

On the feast of the Epiphany, many Catholics bless their homes by writing the letters C, M and B and the numbers of the year on the top of their front door frame with chalk.

For example, for the year 2026, it would look like this:  20 + C + M + B + 26.

This combination of letters and numbers holds a special meaning.  The initials have two meanings.  Historically, they refer to the names traditionally attributed to the Magi:  Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.  Spiritually, they refer to the blessing itself, represented by the Latin prayer:  "Christus, mansionem benedicat" (May Christ Bless this house); the crosses recall our salvation in Christ.

There are many ways to celebrate Epiphany.  There are traditions such as the one above, eating king cakes, special prayers and most importantly, going to Mass.  Click HERE to view the entire prayer for blessing your home and household on Epiphany from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  In this new year, we pray for peace in our world, safety for youth and children as they return to school and for unity in our communities.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor

~ Definition for Epiphany from etwn.com

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Christmas Eve at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Misc. Photos - December 24, 2025 ~ Photos by Mary Romanello, Romanello Photography

 St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Christmas Eve at St. E's!

December 24, 2025

 

~ Photos by Mary Romanello, Romanello Photography