St.
Paul Cathedral
15
So. 12th Avenue - Yakima, WA 98902-3169
(509)
575-3713
(509)
453-7497 [FAX]
parish@stpaulyakima.org
February
18, 2010
“St. Paul Cathedral Parish is a
diverse body of Catholic people whom
God calls by name, given a mission by Jesus Christ to be a faithful
sign, a realistic foretaste and
an instrument of the Kingdom of God.
As Cathedral parishioners, we
recognize our responsibility to show
leadership by example and to
provide service to God’s people.”
My Dear Parishioners:
As we jump into the Lenten
Season (yesterday was Ash Wednesday), we enter into a whole season; six weeks
of opportunity to come closer to the Lord. It is a special time of penitential
preparation to be able to enter into the Easter celebration.
I take this opportunity to
encourage everyone to participate in the exercises, services and extra Masses
and devotions of this great season:
What’s ahead?
- For your convenience, another reminder of our
weekday Lenten observances: Mondays:
Mass at 7:00 a.m., Sung Evening Lenten Prayer – 5:30 p.m.
Tuesdays: Masses at 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Soup, Sandwich, and Video at 6:00 p.m. – school cafeteria, Spanish Mass – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday: Mass at 7:00 a.m., Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m.
Thursdays: Masses at 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Fridays:
Mass at 7:00 a.m. followed by Adoration and Benediction (bilingual) at
6:45 p.m. Saturdays: Mass at 8:00 a.m.
and 5:30 p.m. (anticipated for Sunday), Reconciliation at 4:00 p.m.
Also, a reminder that the Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence; that is:
no meat on those days for all over 14 years of age.
- Next week, I, with a group of our parishioners,
shall attend a planning meeting to continue preparations for the Season of
Service (May and June) and rally by renowned evangelist, Luis Palau, which
presents a wonderful opportunity during those months and also, the weekend
of July 17th to join with our fellow Christians from around our
city and valley in a concentrated effort to make our little part of the
Kingdom of God a better place to live and grow. (More to come –next
mailing).
- We alert everyone to the upcoming 2010 Census in
the entire United States of America. Data from this census is used to
help distribute billions of dollars in federal aid to various state and
local governments and for allotting legislative and congressional district
representatives, so it’s important that all of us be counted. Information
about individuals or individual households is kept confidential and is not
shared with other governmental agencies. On Sunday, March 21st
after the Spanish Mass, census workers will be available in the Assembly Place to assist in the filling out of census forms.
- Father Miguel is conducting a Spanish Formation
Series in the Cathedral weekday evenings at 7:00 p.m. from March 1st
through the 5th and we pray that his efforts be successful.
- We welcome Fr. Sam Bellino, S.J. as he presents a ½
day mini-retreat to the Serra Club on Saturday, March 6th,
beginning with a 9:00 a.m. Mass in the Chapel.
- We, also, begin our concentrated Confirmation
preparation classes for our high school juniors of both public and La
Salle High Schools the evening of March 3rd (the presumption
is, of course, that these students participate in weekend liturgies and
the Life Teen program over the years). We also pray for all those
candidates for this great Sacrament of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
- The weekend of March 6th and 7th,
we welcome Fr. Odo Recker, O.S.B. – a monk of Mt. Angel Abbey and Seminary
in Oregon to make an appeal for the support of Mt. Angel Seminary, where
we send many of our students for priestly formation as seminarians. The
Abbey and Benedictine monks provide a great service to the Church of Yakima and are well deserving of our support. He (or one of our seminarians)
will speak at all Masses, English and Spanish, on that weekend.
- The 4th week of Lent is a busy week for
the parish and community. Besides the usual celebrations of Lent, this
week will also include: i)
The Chrism Mass, March 16th, an annual celebration of
priesthood (during this “Year for Priests”) and the consecration and
blessing of the Sacred Oils – used in the Sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. At that special
Mass the priests serving the diocese renew their commitment to the
Church. Especially during this special year, proclaimed by Pope Benedict
XVI, we invite your participation as an affirmation of your priests in the
diocese: 7:00 p.m. in the Cathedral. (No 5:30 p.m. Mass or
Soup/Sandwich/Video that evening). ii)
Our Yakima City Penance Services for Lent – communal celebrations of
Reconciliation Wednesday,
March 17th 4:00
p.m. – Holy Redeemer 7:00
p.m. – Holy Family Thursday,
March 18th 4:00
p.m. – St. Joseph’s 7:00
p.m. – here in OUR CATHEDRAL (No
Wednesday Stations of the Cross or Thursday evening Mass) iii)
Saturday, March 20th at the 8:00 a.m. Mass in the Cathedral,
we welcome our permanent deacon class as Bishop Sevilla will celebrate the
Rite of Candidacy- the official acceptance of 20 candidates in preparation
for their September 25th Diaconal Ordination. Among the
candidates, is our own James Munns and we pray for him and all the men and
their wives throughout the diocese.
- Of course, we are especially blessed the week of
March21st – 26th by having come to our parish Fr. William
Meninger, O.C.S.O., a Trappist Monk of St. Benedict Abbey in Snowmass,
Colorado and former priest of our diocese (a classmate from Boston)
associate at St. Aloysius Parish in Toppenish and instructor at Marquette
High School in ancient days; who will present a Parish Mission on
“Forgiveness” and also a workshop on that Wednesday, March 24th
(noon – 4:00 p.m.) on Contemplative (Centering) Prayer. Please place
these dates on your calendar now. He will preach at morning Masses and
also the weekday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. This
promises to be a most enriching experience and will assist us in living
the Lord’s Prayer more perfectly: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us.” So,
lots of opportunities for us to be enriched spiritually and
psychologically during this great Season of Lent. We are also discussing
with our Parish Council the future celebration of our 100th
Parish Anniversary for 2014 with the idea of perhaps undertaking, as
parish, the building of a house for Habitat for Humanity, as well as a
party for our entire parish – a chance to be involved in helping our
community.
In the late Spring, plans are
underway to have two sisters from Mexico from the Misioneras Trabajadoras
Sociales to join Sister Maricela for ministry at Holy Redeemer Parish plus
ourselves who are and will be wonderfully served by Sister’s continuation as
Director of Religious Education and all-around ministry in various aspects of
our Cathedral. We are looking for a 4 bedroom house to rent for the next few
years as a convent/residence for these three sisters. If you have such a
property and would be interested, please contact me, (at least 2 bathrooms as
well). It will be a wonderful addition to our parish and Holy Redeemer to have
another “Community of Religious Women’ with residence in our city and a great
help to our Hispanic Community, especially).
So, until our next missive in
Mid-March, God bless you and yours,
In Christ,
Rev. Msgr. John A. Ecker
Pastor