 Fr.
Tom's Tomes March 19, 2006
We begin the 50th anniversary celebration of the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph this weekend. We have holy cards to commemorate this important moment in our Diocese. At the entrances of the Church there are holy cards for all parishioners to pick up and take home with you. I would invite you to pray the prayer found on the back of the holy card. To start this anniversary year there will be a Mass at the Cathedral in St. Joseph at 3:00 pm this Sunday. Sunday, March 19, is the traditional celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph. This year the Feast will be celebrated on Monday because a Lenten Sunday takes precedence over the Feast of St. Joseph. I would invite you to mark your calendars now for the closing of this anniversary year which will be held on December 8th which is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. That evening there will be a Mass at the Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri. Monday evening, March 27, 2006, there will be a reconciliation service at St. Columban Church. I would hope all parishioners will take time to join in this celebration of receiving the forgiveness of God in our lives. The penance service will begin at 7:00 pm and there will be extra priests available for the sacrament of penance, reconciliation, confession. Where I came from the Advent and Lenten Penance Services were very well attended. It is important for each Catholic person to receive God’s forgiveness sacramentally at least once a year. I believe it is important to receive God’s forgiveness sacramentally more than once a year. What is a reconciliation service? It begins with the people of the parish gathering together like we would for Mass. It means all the people of the parish come together to seek God’s forgiveness. First we are aware that each one of us sins. We either sin by doing acts to sin or by not doing things we need to because of our faith. Sins can either be of commission or omission. Second we come together because not only do we sin individually but we must realize as a people we also sin. Communities sin by not taking care of the poor in their midst. Communities sin by excluding members, gossiping and not recognizing the skills, values and abilities of one another. A communal penance service should bring together the individual as well as the community to recognize we need God’s forgiveness. In a communal penance service we begin with a song, opening prayer and scripture readings reflecting on the need for forgiveness in our personal and communal lives. There is a homily to continue the reflection on the readings. Following the readings there is an examination of conscience, prayers of forgiveness, act of contrition and we pray the Our Father together. Following this there is time for all who come to make an individual confession, receive a penance and receive absolution. When all are finished a song of thanksgiving, closing blessing and sign of peace are exchanged. Often I think people are afraid to come to a communal penance service. This is unfortunate because when we gather as a community we can share in the forgiveness of God together and see the need we all have for it. I would like to invite and encourage all parishioners to attend the communal penance service on Monday, March 27, 2006. God bless you this week. |