holyoke, massachusetts march 28, 2021

OUR LADY OF THE CROSS PARISH HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS

MARCH 28, 2021

Our Lady of the Cross Parish, Holyoke, Massachusetts

A MINISTRY OF OUR LADY OF THE CROSS

Mater Dolorosa School

25 Maple St.

Maureen Donelan, Principal

Bonnie Brainard, School Secretary

(413) 532-2831 materdolorosaschool.org Follow us on Facebook

FRIARY 23 Sycamore St. (413) 536-8832

Br. Frank Grimaldi, OFM Conv.

Fr. Adam Ziolkowski, OFM Conv. Ext. 212

Fr. Albert Scherer, OFM Conv. Ext. 207

Fr. Jack Leszczynski, OFM Conv. Ext. 201

PARISH STAFF Pastor Fr. Albert Scherer, OFM Conv. [email protected]

Parochial Vicar Fr. Adam Ziolkowski, OFM Conv.

Deacon Richard Tatro [email protected]

Secretary [email protected]

Bookkeeper Bob Grzelak [email protected]

Director of Religious Education

Dorothea MacNeil [email protected] (413) 244-6546

Director of Music Robin Sheehan [email protected] (413) 355-2164

Maintenance Robert Maziarz

Mater Dolorosa Cemetery Bob Koske

Theresa Szumski (413) 532-6143

Parish Child Advocate Marybeth Kass [email protected] (413) 313-6118

Parish Office Address 15 Maple St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone Number (413) 532-5661

Fax Line (413) 532-7889

Website www.ourladyofthecross.com

Office Hours Monday - Friday

8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Mass Schedule Monday - Saturday: 8:30 am

Saturday: 4:00 pm Sunday: 7:00 am,

8:15 am (Polish), 10:30 am, 5:00 pm

(except during July & August)

Confessions Monday - Saturday: 8:00 am

Saturday: 3:15 pm

Devotions Monday – Saturday:

7:50 am - Divine Mercy Chaplet 8:05 am - Rosary

To report abuse in the Diocese of Spring-field contact: The Office of Safe Environ-ment & Victim Assistance at 452-0624 or the confidential, toll free number at 800-842-9055.

April 3 & 4 Lector Ministers of Communion 7:30 pm Vigil James Brunault, Joyce Belanger 7:00 Beth Szymonik Mike Sullivan 10:30 Tina Grass Sharon Flynn, Barbara Gagnon, Glen Gagnon 5:00 NO MASS

Margaret’s Pantry During the month of March, we are collecting pancake mix. Please place your donations in the baskets located near the doors of the church. Thank you very much for your generosity!

March 28, 2021

Dear Parishioners,

God’s Mercy: I was pleased that many parishioners took advantage of the additional oppor-tunities for confession that we offered this Lent. There are not many opportunities left, how-ever, before Easter. After today’s 10:30 Sunday Mass, I will be available for confessions in the Adoration Chapel. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week confessions will take place at 8:00 am. Please keep in mind that we will not have confessions on Holy Thurs-day, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Please Join Us: I invite you to join us for Mass on Holy Thursday and also for the services on Good Friday. These are truly beautiful Liturgies and your presence would be appreciated.

Morning Prayer: Please note that on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday we will not have our 8:30 am Mass. We will, however, gather for Morning Prayer. This brief service (about 20 minutes) consists of psalms, scripture reading and intercessions and is a good way to begin these sacred days.

Annual Tradition: On Holy Saturday we will have the Blessing of the Food. This is a beautiful tradition that we have at OLC and one that I look forward to every year. Even though this is a tradition that our Polish parishioners are very familiar with, anyone is welcome to join us. Usually some of the food that will be served at one’s Easter dinner is brought in baskets to the church for a blessing. Children will sometimes bring their Easter baskets filled with candy. Once everyone has gathered in church, the priest will recite several prayers of blessing and then walk around the church sprinkling the baskets with holy water. If you have never participated in this tradition in previous years, I hope that you will join us this year.

Please Consider: I have not added any additional Masses for Easter and I cannot predict how attendance will be. I would imagine, however, that we will have additional people in church, especially for the 10:30 am Mass. Even though our church is large, we do not want too many people at one particular Mass. For those of you who normally attend the 4:00 pm Saturday Mass or the 10:30 am Sunday Mass, I ask that you consider attending the 7:30 pm Vigil Mass or the 7:00 am Mass instead. These Masses will not be crowded and it would be helpful if some of you attended one of these Masses.

We will be having music at the Easter 7:00 am Mass!

Called to Evangelize: Despite the pandemic, I am sure that we will have more people in church on Easter. Some of these individuals will be visitors. Some may be your relatives who are with you for Easter. Some will be people who only attend Mass on Christmas and Easter. Whoever these individuals are and whatever their reason for being with us on Easter, we need to extend a warm welcome to each of them. This is one way to evangelize! Perhaps because of their experience at our church, some of these individuals will return the fol-lowing Sunday or sometime in the future. We can only hope and pray for this to happen.

Thank You: When our parishioner +Bob Flynn died in January, his wife Sharon requested that any memo-rial contributions be made to Our Lady of the Cross. Elsewhere in the bulletin you will read the names of those individuals who made a contribution to our parish. These contributions totaled $1,580. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest thanks to Sharon for remembering our parish in this way. I am very grateful.

ACA Update: As of March 19th, 104 parishioners have made a contribution/pledge to the Annual Catholic Appeal totaling $14,490. We are off to a good start! Our parish goal for this year is once again $50,000. Please keep in mind that you can make a pledge to the ACA if you are unable to make a contribution at this time. I wish to thank all those parishioners who have already made a contribution.

Another Project: It seems as though one project always leads to another project. After the pews were re-moved from the new choir area, I noticed that the wooden radiator cover directly in front of the first pew was in rough shape. Parts of the wood were badly scratched and some words were “etched” into the wood. Yes, it happens even in church! Before we place the carpeting down in the new choir area, Robert (our mainte-nance worker) sanded the wood and stained it. In the coming weeks, Robert will be doing the same thing on the other wooden radiator covers throughout the church. It seems as though quite a bit of “etching” has oc-curred over the years.

Peace, FR. ALBERT


Quotable Quotes “God proved His love on the Cross.

When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, 'I love you.'”

~ Billy Graham

Good Friday A Day of Fast & Abstinence

There is a limit of one full meal for those between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive. Those who have reached their 14th year are bound to abstain from meat.

Rice Bowls To those who have been collecting your spare change during Lent to help the needy: please return your Rice Bowls any time after Palm Sunday. Rice Bowls may be placed in the basket located in the sanctuary of the church or can be brought to the parish office. Thank you very much for your partici-pation in this almsgiving project!

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday, April 1: 8:30 am: Morning Prayer (no Mass) 7:00 pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins after Mass and ends at 10:00 pm

Good Friday, April 2: 8:30 am: Morning Prayer (no Mass) 3:00 pm: Stations of the Cross (English) 5:00 pm: Stations of the Cross (Polish) 7:00 pm: The Lord’s Passion (Veneration of the Cross & Holy Communion)

Holy Saturday, April 3: 8:30 am: Morning Prayer (no Mass) 11:00 am, Noon & 1:00 pm: Blessing of Food 7:30 pm: Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday, April 4: 7:00 am: Mass 8:15 am: Mass (Polish) 10:30 am: Mass After Mass: Easter Egg Hunt on Church Lawn

With Heartfelt Thanks We would like to express our gratitude to the following individuals who made contributions to our parish in memory of +Robert Flynn:

Ron & Maydejo Authier Marianne Peters Laurin Hawkins Dan Grady Bob & Maureen Desormier Barbara Donah & Family Don Boissonnault Easthampton Friends of Football Carole O’Neill John & Mary Donah Ronnie & Barbara Moussett Bob & Arlene Drapeau Pat & Peggy Ascolese Bill & Charlene Mahoney Leslie McDonald Matthew & Michelle Collins Richard & Elizabeth Collins Joan Fortin Patricia Patla Stephen & Ellen Souza Mike & Maxine Stawasz Ron & Donna Moussette Dan Seward Mary Ann Curran Robert & Elaine Kotfila Barry & Joann Charland Francis & Patricia Hamel Joan Poutre New Hampshire Public Radio Holyoke Medical Center - Purchasing Department

The contributions totaled $1,580.00

Due to the ongoing pandemic and to ensure every-one’s safety, Bishop Byrne has come out with the following directives that we will be observing:

• Holy Thursday: There will be no washing of the feet this year. Also, there will be no proces-sion of the Blessed Sacrament to the Adoration Chapel.

• Good Friday: Please bring your songbooks for the reading of the Passion. At the veneration of the cross, we will not be allowed to kiss or touch the cross. Instead, everyone will be asked to kneel or bow to the cross.

• Easter Vigil: We will not be using congrega-tional candles this year, as blowing them out would be difficult with a mask on. Instead, we will use battery operated candles instead.

March 28, 2021

AVAILABLE MASSES

April 7 8:30 am April 11 7:00 am & 5:00 pm

If you would like to reserve a Mass, please call 532-5661 or [email protected].

Mass Intentions

4:00 pm

Saturday, March 27 +Adrien Briere From: Take & Eat Ministry Crew

7:00 am 8:15 am 10:30 am 5:00 pm

Sunday March 28 Palm Sunday Souls in Purgatory From: Ann +Jan Kucinski From: Dotty Czaporowski +Robert Flynn From: Wife & Family +Lorraine Stapleton From: Family

8:30 am

Monday, March 29 +Deceased Members of the Constance Family From: Phyllis Constance

8:30 am

Tuesday, March 30 +Lorraine Stapleton From: Family

8:30 am

Wednesday, March 31 +Brian Harris, Jr. From: Rosemary Sullivan

8:30 am 7:00 pm

Holy Thursday, April 1 Morning Prayer Intentions of the Friars

8:30 am

Good Friday, April 2 Morning Prayer

8:30 am 7:30 pm

Holy Saturday, April 3 Morning Prayer Intentions of the Friars

7:00 am 8:15 am 10:30 am 5:00 pm

Sunday April 4 Easter Sunday +James Tormey From: Family +David Wrzesinski From: Parents +Norman & Mildred Beaudry From: Regis & Joyce Belanger & Family NO MASS

SCRIPTURE READINGS 28 SUNDAY Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16 (37)/Is

50:4-7/Phil 2:6-11/Mk 14:1-1 5:47 or 15:1-39

29 Monday Is 42:1-7/Jn 12:1-11 30 Tuesday Is 49:1-6/Jn 13:21-33, 36-38 31 Wednesday Is 50:4-9a/Mt 26:14-25 1 Thursday Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/1 Cor 11:23- 26/Jn 13:1-15 2 Friday Is 52:13—53:12/Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-

9/Jn 18:1—19:42 3 Saturday Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a/Gn

22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15- 18/ Ex 14:15—15:1/Is 54:5-14/ Is 55:1-11/Bar 3:9-15, 32—4:4/Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28/ Rom 6:3- 11/Mk 16:1-7

4 SUNDAY Acts 10:34a, 37-43/Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8/Jn 20:1-9

What do you do with the palm that is distributed at Mass today? Some people use it to weave small crosses or religious symbols. Others place a small piece of palm behind a crucifix or religious paint-ing. Others use it to bless their homes and ask for God’s protection. Other traditions include sending a piece of palm to someone with whom you’ve had a fight or disagreement, or burning part of it in a candle for a departed relative.

If you do not have a tradition, why not start one? Make the walk with Jesus on His way to the cross. Display the Palm in a prominent place in your home, perhaps on top of a Bible open to the Passion. Every day during Holy Week, hold the Palm or pass it from one family member to an-other as you read the Passion, one part at a time or pray the Stations of the Cross. Spend a little time discussing what you’ve read, imagining what it was like and what people saw and said. Then, on Easter, place the Palm behind the crucifix or holy picture hanging in your home. A small family ritual helps everyone focus on what we are cele-brating and what it means for us in our daily life together.

Days like Palm Sunday are not major feasts, but they are liturgical and spiritual steppingstones. They set the scene and give us a chance to more deeply participate in the significant events of our faith. Don’t miss out. Live and pray the Passion of Palm Sunday to prepare for the joy and glory of Easter. ~James Gaffney

EASTER SUNDAY FAMILY MASS Come and celebrate our Family Mass with us on Easter Sunday, April 4 at 10:30 am. While staying within Covid guidelines, we will have the children read and cantor. Also, the homily will be suitable for the children. For more information or if you would like your child to participate, please contact the Mu-sic Director, Robin at [email protected]


Offertory Collection March 21

Collection: Envelope Users (121): $3,597.00 Loose Money Cash: $557.00 Envelopes Mailed (14): $1,169.00 TOTAL: $5,323.00

Milk: $40.00

Recent Expenses: Office Supplies: $528.00 Offertory Envelopes: $438.00 Comcast: $273.00 Snow Removal: $1,975.00 Pew Disinfectant: $254.00 Boiler Repair: $779.00 (Friary) Fire Kitchen Inspection $206.00 (Social Center) Property/Liability: $3,730.00

Thank you for your financial generosity!

Annual Catholic Appeal Have you taken the time to contribute to “Sowing the Seeds” the 2021 Annual Catholic Appeal? No matter the size of your donation, collectively your contribution supports more than 40 ministries in-cluding: Catholic school education, feeding the hun-gry, protecting life from birth until death, helping families in crisis, and our vocations office. You can take an envelope or make a contribution to Annual Catholic Appeal by calling: 452-0670 or online by going to diospringfield.org/aca. All donations are tax deductible. If you’ve already sent in your pledge or donation- Thank you for your support!

Decorators Needed On Saturday (April 3), at 9:00 am, we will be deco-rating the church for Easter. If you have helped in the past or never decorated before, we would appre-ciate your assistance. Thank you!

Mark Your Calendar April 24: 4:00 pm Bishop Byrne will be here to celebrate Mass May 20: 6:00 pm Confirmation will take place here at OLC

Important Notice To those who are receiving a weekly bulletin in the mail: kindly let the office know when you have re-turned to Mass and no longer need a bulletin mailed to your home.

Mater Dolorosa School Students Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

“This is the day the Lord has made; Let us Rejoice and

be glad in it.”

Psalm 118.24

holyoke, massachusetts march 28, 2021

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