Healing Service

On Thursday, February 11th, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we celebrate the “World Day of the Sick”. Here at St. Mary’s, we will come together to pray for all the sick: our friends & relatives; members of our parish; the home bound as well as all in our hospitals & care facilities. In a special way, we’ll pray for all caregivers. In the midst of our prayer, we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick. (Please let Fr. Kane know by Wednesday if you wish to celebrate this sacrament). Here are words of Pope Benedict:

“At the Last Supper, before returning to the Father, the Lord Jesus knelt to wash the Apostles’ feet, anticipating the supreme act of love on the Cross. With this act he invited his disciples to enter into the same logic of love that is given especially to the lowliest and to the needy (cf. Jn 13: 12-17). Following his example, every Christian is called to relive, in different and ever new contexts, the Parable of the Good Samaritan who, passing by a man whom robbers had left half-dead by the roadside, “saw him and had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back’” (cf. Lk 10: 33-35).

At the end of the parable, Jesus said: “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10: 37). With these words he is also addressing us. Jesus exhorts us to bend over the physical and mental wounds of so many of our brothers and sisters whom we meet on the highways of the world.”

If a member of your family or a friend is sick, please come and join us as we pray for all the sick and caregivers.

Centennial Kickoff

Nearly 100 years ago, the first Catholic priests to serve in this part of East Alabama arrived in Opelika to take up residence at The Pines. That Victorian house, on the corner of 4th Avenue and 10th Street in Opelika is still the rectory for St. Mary’s Church.

On Sunday, September 13, St. Mary’s celebrated a bilingual mass followed by a potluck picnic to kick off the celebration of our first 100 years. The Centennial Celebration will be in full force during 2010 and 2011. Until that time, take a look at the people of St. Mary’s. See those who are “old timers” as well as the children who represent the future of the parish. Parishioners: consider what the community at St. Mary’s has meant in your life. Share the word. Join the celebration.

Photos from the event can be viewed at the St. Mary’s Picasaweb site.

The Year for Priests

Fr. Kane calls our attention to the Year for Priests which begins June 19, 2009 and ends June 19, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI called for the special year to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, who was famed for his priestly ministry.

Cardinal Hummes offers his reflections on this Year for Priests at the Independent Catholic News Site.

Priests, just like all other Christians, need the love and support of the community – the church – to succeed in living the call of Christian life. On Thursday evening, June 18, the Prayer ministry will be sponsoring a our of prayer and exposition from 7-8pm in the church to begin this year long celebration. Come and pray with us – for a few minutes, or the entire hour.

Baptism of Andrew Tim Tran

At the 10:00 a.m. Mass on June 7, ANDREW TIM TRAN, son of PHUOC T. TRAN and TIENT BUI was be baptized into the Catholic Church. Although the Mass was celebrated in English, the Baptism ceremony was in Vietnamese. Deacon Joseph H. Phung, from St. Bede’s in Montgomery, performed the baptism.

After the Mass, the Parish congratulated this young couple in the Hall with a Reception.

Many voices: a baptism in Vietnamese

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lent Events at St. Mary’s

We’ve been busy lately around the parish – with Friday Fish Fries, Lazarus Food Boxes and more…

On Friday evening, April 3, 2009 the parish gathered for a Fish Fry, Stations of the Cross and then service in the form of packing the food boxes for Lazarus Ministries.

Lent Photos from Picasaweb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Page »