Entries for February 2022

Ash Wednesday, March 2nd
Mass and distribution of blessed ashes
at 7:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m.

Fridays, beginning March 4th
Stations of the Cross — 2:20 p.m.

Lenten Wednesday, March 9th
Adoration and Benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament & short homily
7:00 to 7:45 p.m.

GOD’S
LOVING FORGIVENESS

            The Android app “Confession: A Roman Catholic App” and the Apple app ConfesGuide” are not designed to forgive sins (we still need a priest for that) but to help prepare people to receive the Sacrament of God’s healing and loving forgiveness.  The apps include an examination of conscience, a step-by-step guide to the celebration of the Sacrament, and other prayers.  

            The Congregation for the Sacraments in Rome stated, “this is not a substitute for actual confession of sins to a priest, but it might be a very helpful aid, especially for those who have been away from the Sacrament for a long time, as well as for young people who are so attuned to the digital world.”

CONFESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE

SATURDAYS
FROM 3:30 TO 4:45 P.M.

THE SUNDAYS OF LENT
AFTER MASSES

TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 5TH

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UNCEASING PRAYER

On Ash Wednesday, March 2nd, every Catholic from Junior High on up, will be invited to participate in an anonymous comprehensive survey. The 75 multiple choice statements will provide feedback so essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the Church in St. Louis, and Annunziata in particular. We seek to identify opportunities for improvement and renewal within all parishes, schools, diocesan offices, and agencies.

Together we need to develop a strategic plan in order that our parishes, ministries and institutions can effectively share the Catholic Faith in a way that is suitable and sustainable for our children and for generations to come.

As Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski wrote, “With St. Paul, let us begin this journey together with prayer.” This Wednesday, February 23, you are invited to participate in a Holy Hour to pray in the presence of Our Risen Lord beginning at 7 p.m. Father Chris Martin, the Priest who represents the Archbishop in guiding this multi-year process called “All Things New”, will preside and preach.

As a Parish, as an Archdiocese, we need to pray unceasingly, asking for God to enter our hearts and minds and guide our actions as we consider the best path forward. Personal or private prayer on a daily basis is absolutely essential to being a mature follower of Jesus Christ.

Taking part in the Sunday Mass is very important. But it is not enough. Not even being a daily Mass-goer is sufficient for being a disciple of Jesus, if you do not “go into your inner room and pray in secret.” While participating in Sunday or weekday Mass is essential and powerful, this does not eliminate the need for private time with God.

PLEASE COME, AND BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, THE WORD OF GOD, FR. CHRIS MARTIN PREACHING, AND BENEDICTION ON THIS
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, at 7 pm!

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On January 25th,  Archbishop Rozanski announced a pivotal moment in the life of the Church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, meant to enable us to assess every aspect of our Archdiocese and make necessary adjustments to our ministries and supporting structures to reflect the needs of our communities for the next century.

This initiative “All Things New” seeks to enable a vibrant Catholic presence across every square mile of our Archdiocese.  Throughout this process, every Catholic will have several opportunities to provide feedback on their aspirations for the Archdiocese.  The first of these opportunities will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 2nd, where every Catholic in the Archdiocese will be asked to take a survey.

The survey, known as the “Disciples Maker Index” is an anonymous 75 question multiple choice instrument designed to provide an opportunity for parishioners to reflect on their individual spiritual growth and overall parish effectiveness.

Almost 300,000 Catholics at more than 1,500 parishes throughout 40 dioceses have taken the Disciple Maker Index since 2013, providing not just valuable data for each parish, but also for the Archdiocese, and for the Catholic Church nationally as well. 

Every Catholic, from junior high on up in age is encouraged to take the anonymous survey.  Catholics who are actively practicing their Faith, Catholics who come to Mass only occasionally, Catholics who have chosen not to practice their faith, or who have left the Catholic Church are invited to fill out this anonymous survey. Please pray that all Catholics in our parish will participate in filling out this survey instrument, which will be available online and on paper commencing March 2nd.  

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DEVOTION TO THE SAINTS

At his weekly audience, Pope Francis said that when he was little, he thought the phrase “the communion of saints” in the Creed meant that the saints in heaven were receiving Holy Communion.  Instead, the communion of saints expresses how “every member of the church is bound to each of us in a profound way and this bond is so strong that it cannot be broken even by death.”

Pope Francis sought to clarify the difference between devotion to a saint, even to Mary or St. Joseph, and superstition or idolatry.  “Sometimes even Christianity can fall into forms of devotion that seem to reflect a mentality that is more pagan than Christian.”  But the fundamental difference is that our prayer and the devotion of the faithful people is not based on trust in a human being, or in an image or an object, even when we know they are sacred.”  It is not the saints who work miracles, but only the Grace of God that acts through them.”

Just as a person can have a friendship with another parishioner, he or she can have a relationship with a brother or sister in heaven.  The saints are friends and devotion is actually a way of expressing the love that comes from this bond that unites us.

“In Christ no one can ever truly separate us from those we love.  Only the manner of being with them changes, but nothing and no one can break this bond.  The communion of saints holds together the community of believers on earth and in heaven.”

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SICK

February 11th, Friday of this week, is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and World Day of Prayer for the Sick.  There has always been a strong tradition of bringing the sick and suffering to Lourdes to experience love and healing. The healing offered at Lourdes sometimes takes the form of extraordinary miracles, but always brings with it a beautiful healing that comes from treating the sick and suffering with dignity and compassion.

In 1992,  St. Pope John Paul II asked that with the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes, all believers might offer prayers for those suffering from illnesses.  We take this opportunity to pray for Doctors and Nurses who treat the sick and for all health care workers who seek to be God’s instruments of love and compassion.

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