Week of February 22, 2004

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Dear Parishioner,

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday when we begin the season of Lent. The practices of Lent for Christians are based on the three traditional Jewish penitential processes of Prayer, Almsgiving and Fasting. Jesus'

teaching on these practices in Mathew 6 can serve as a way to announce the Lenten opportunities which are provided this year at St. Noel.

PRAYER

“Whenever you pray do not heap up empty phrases,” (Matt 6:7). Striving as we do for genuine prayer you are invited to pray with us on

•  Ash Wednesday (February 25) – Liturgy of the Word with distribution of ashes at Noon; Eucharist with distribution of ashes at 7:00 p.m.

•  the first Sunday of Lent at 11:00 a.m. when Jessica Forguites and Joe Plesmid who are preparing for Baptism and Greg Danaher, Anna Hackett, Sherie Hale and Harry Schweitzer who are seeking Full Communion with the Catholic Church will be sent forth to the Diocesan celebration of The Rite of Election. At that ceremony they will join with other catechumens and candidates from our entire diocese, and Bishop Pilla will preside as the Church celebrates its choice of them for the Easter sacraments.

•  Wednesday, March 24 th at 7:30 p.m. as we celebrate together the Sacrament of Penance.

•  on every Friday of Lent—beginning this Friday February 27 at 7:30 p.m.—as we pray the Stations of the Cross. Each Friday of Lent a different staff member and parish group will lead the stations—the last Friday of Lent, April, 2 will be a special Ecumenical celebration of the stations together with Willoughby Hills United Methodist Church.

•  on any day when you wish to walk and pray the stations personally. The church is open all day from 7:00 a.m. until the last meeting ends (usually around 9:00 p.m.). Various booklets to use in praying the stations can be found in the kiosk. Making the stations on a regular basis during Lent is a wonderful Lenten practice.

•  whenever you wish to pray you can use one of the booklets available in the narthex (one per family) Behold the Man A New Way to Pray This Lent and Renewed For Life , from the works of Henri J. M. Nouwen.

ALMSGIVING

“When you give alms do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” (Matt 6:3). Giving is not about drawing attention to ourselves but about serving others. We invite you to undertake this kind of service

•  by collecting bags of items for Forbes House, the Lake County women's shelter, Project Hope, (the Lake County homeless shelter), Birthright, and St. Augustine Hunger Center. Tags indicating the items needed for each agency can be found in the narthex. Please use a plastic garbage bag for your items, closing it with the yarn and tag provided. If you do not have your own plastic bags, please help yourself to the plastic bags which are also on the table.

•  by filling a baby bottle. When you place your change in one of the bottles which can be picked up in the narthex it will be used to provide crisis counseling, pregnancy tests, and education to women or couples in crisis. These services will be offered through Alternaterm, a non-profit Christian organization ministering to couples in relate pregnancy situations. Filled bottles should be returned to the church office.

FASTING

“When you fast do not look dismal…but put oil on your head and wash your face,” (Matt 6:16-17). The sacrifices of Lent are not to be seen as negative but positive, not gloomy but joyful. That is why we encourage not only fasting from food but doing things which promote education and community. You are therefore invited to join with us in the fasting of Lent

•  by participating in our program “Soul Food For Lent” on Tuesdays, March 23 and 30 at 7:15 p.m. Each evening provides food, fellowship and two breakout sessions of your choice from exciting topics including: anger management, scripture insights, clay and watercolor, GardeManger, alternative health care and fitness, drama, end of life issues and funeral planning, social justice, quilting, praying with a labyrinth, music of the Gregorian Chant and Taize Prayer, creating mandalas, learning about personalities using the Myers-Briggs assessment, missionary experiences, legislative advocacy, bereavement care, and much more.

•  by joining in a day-time retreat on the Journeys of St. Paul. This informative and reflective retreat will take place on Wednesdays, March 3 and 24 from 10:00 a.m. ‘til 2:00 p.m. (includes lunch). We will journey with Paul (and a few St. Noel parishioners) to Corinth, Ephesus, Philipi, and Thessalonika learning about the mission ministry and trials of the early Church.

•  by abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, adult Catholics are also asked to fast--that is, limit their food to a simple full meal and two lesser meals.

•  by participating in our parish fish fries on the Fridays of Lent, from 4:30-7:30 p.m., beginning this Friday. Volunteers are needed for serving and cleanup. Sign up on the kiosk if you can help.

As disciples of Jesus each one of us, of course, can develop our own Lenten practices. But these opportunities for prayer, almsgiving and fasting are ways to observe Lent together with our community.

May your Lenten journey be blessed!

Fr. George Smiga

NATIONAL SEXUAL ABUSE REPORT - This week on February 27 a report will be released documenting the nature and scope of the sexual abuse of minors by members of the Catholic clergy over the last fifty years. Details of this report have already begun to leak into the media. It is likely that the clergy involved throughout the country will number in the thousands. Facing the tabulation of these incidents of sexual abuse and their personal and financial costs will clearly add to the pain we all feel over these deplorable acts. Yet this report is an important step in changing the attitudes in our Church which too often put our children at risk. Allow me to make three points which might help you contextualize

this report: 1) The numbers in this report do not result only from recent incidents but from all incidents since 1950. Thus the numbers must be interpreted not over the last few years but over the last fifty years. 2) The report is not the work of Church officials but of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, an independent entity commissioned to undertake this study by the U.S. Bishops. This assures an independent, objective report and avoids any conflict-of -interest issues which would have arisen had the Bishops issued the report themselves. 3) No other institution in our country—none—has authorized such a serious professional study regarding sexual abuse. It should be hoped that this example of disclosure would encourage other public and private organizations to report their own incidents of abuse, so that the scope of this problem throughout our society could be clearly assessed and addressed. This is a painful period for our Church. It is my prayer that this action of disclosure, even as it causes us pain, will be an important step in implementing new policies and fostering new attitudes which will protect our children now and in the future.

Fr. George Smiga

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS , LECTORS, SERVERS AND SACRISTANS if you are able to help at the7:00 p.m. liturgy on Ash Wednesday, February 25, please sign up on the bulletin board near the kitchenette. Lectors are also needed at the Noon service on Ash Wednesday.

SOCIAL CONCERNS ST. AUGUSTINE – on February 29 th our volunteers will be serving the meal at the St. Augustine Hunger Center. There is a sign-up sheet on the kiosk if you are able to lend a hand. After all the Masses on February 28 th and February 29 th , we will be collecting for our Social Concerns fund. Also, if anyone would like to bake cookies please bring the cookies with you when you come to volunteer at the Hunger Center or they can be dropped off at church before Mass on Saturday. Please place the cookies on the counter in the Nativity room and mark them St. Augustine.

SOCIAL CONCERNS FUND – In January we collected $1,041.66. Our expenses were:

We thank you for your support.   

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS – Because they cannot be purchased with food stamps, it is especially helpful if we can offer our clients paper and soap products. Currently we are in need of laundry soap, hand dishwashing soap, toothpaste and Kleenex. If you can provide any of these items, we know our clients would be most appreciative. Of course we are grateful for any non perishable food items as well. The drop off for the food pantry can be found in the hallway between the narthex and the new wing.

SIGNED LITURGY – Just a reminder that our 11:00 a.m. Mass on 3/7/04 will be signed to allow our hearing impaired parishioners and friends to enter more fully into the liturgy. Several rows of seating next to the Chapel will be reserved for this purpose.

SOCIAL JUSTICE GEMS – Make a difference this year by using some of your vacation time to volunteer. Local, national, and international opportunities abound from education, to maintaining natural areas, to building homes. Check these websites for more information: Volunteers for Peace ( www.vfp.org ), Global Citizens (www.globalcitizens.org ), Action without Borders ( www.idealist.org ), Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org ), and Habitat for Humanity Lake County (www.pahfh.org).

STATIONS FOR PEACE-  Our “Let There Be Peace” prayer and reflection group will be leading us in the Stations of the Cross this Friday evening, February 27, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. These particular stations will have peace as their focus. We hope you can join us as we pray for an end to the violence in our hearts and in our world which so often afflicts the innocent and most vulnerable people on our planet.

CURIOUS ABOUT CATHOLICISM? Do you have questions about, or an interest in the Catholic faith, or know someone who does? If so, please plan to join us on Tuesday evening, March 9, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Resurrection room, when we will begin a new inquiry group for RCIA (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).

In the meantime please feel free to contact Marianne Slattery or Alice Hinkel in the parish office at 440-946-0887 if you have questions of concerns.

BAPTISM DAY will be held on Sunday, March 14, 2004 from 12:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parents who are planning to present a child for Baptism in the next six months, or already have done so and have not previously attended such a day, are expected to attend. Please call Karen Myers at 440-974-8116 or Carol Silvi at 440-354-2425.

WELCOME HOME –- Our three-week series begins Tuesday, March 2 in the Nativity Room at 7:30 p.m. This program is intended for people who have been away but are interested in reconnecting with the Catholic Church. Participants will receive support as they discuss concerns, learn more about the Church today, and renew their Catholic faith. All are welcome and there is still time to refer someone who you think could benefit from another look at the Catholic Church. Fill out a card in the narthex or call Marianne Slattery (440-946-1128 x 21) to refer a friend.

This weekend, February 21/22 is “Welcome Home” weekend at St. Noel. Members of the Welcome Home Ministry will be available after each liturgy and materials will be available for those interested in re-connecting with the Catholic Church. YOU CAN HELP!! Invite someone you know to join you at Mass. Sometimes a personal invitation is all it takes for a friend or loved one to take another look at the Church

FAMILY SCRIPTURE STUDY -A reminder to all families of all ages!! Join us this Sunday, February 22 from 10:15-11:00 a.m. to share the Sunday Gospel with other families.

WOMEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST – This Saturday at 8:00 a.m. See you there!

TUESDAY MORNING WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY – *Special Invitation* The ladies Bible Study would like to invite all ladies to the Lenten Bible Study starting on Tuesday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. Free child care is provided. For more information please call the parish office at 440-946-0887.

ST. NOEL FELLOWSHIP – Activities for February are as follows: February 26 - social meeting, we will celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Please remember to bring your food donation for the food bank to this meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend the Senior Fellowship on Thursday.

PRIME TIME – Human Rights are right! Learn more tonight (Sunday) at 7:30pm.

JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP – our next session is Tuesday, March 2 nd at 7:00pm. Bring your bibles.

NOEL MOVERS – we are in need of beds and dressers. Please call Anthony if you can help.

CLEVELAND FOOD BANK – We're serving at the Food Bank on Monday, March 1 st . We leave the church at 5:30pm and return around 8:30pm. Please call Anthony if you would like to help (946-1128 x20).

CRIBS NEEDED – Birthright of Lake County is in need of newer cribs. The cribs should be 5 years or younger, and any slats must be no more than 2 3/8 inches wide. If a pop can fits between the slats, the crib is no longer up to the current standards. You can deliver the cribs directly to Birthright at 7471 Tyler Blvd in Mentor. Call Birthright at 951-7055 for hours or call Anthony (946-1128 x20) to arrange pick-up.

EASTER HAMS – The time is here to order your delicious, spiral-sliced ham for Easter. PRIME TIME will take your order in March. Watch the bulletin for details!

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