Partnership Parish Council Meeting will be on Monday, March 19 at St. Clement of Rome.  Meal at 6:30 pm with meeting following at 7:00 p.m.

PSR Easter Egg hunt will take place right after mass at St. John the Baptist on Sunday, March 25.  Birth-Pre K will hunt on the west side of church, K – 2nd will hunt on the east side of church, and 3rd – 5th will hunt around the pavilion.

Vocation Corner:  After discerning my vocation to enter the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, at age 18, I wrestled with the unknowns about my future.  I found myself gazing up at the sky, walking an unknown path.  I trusted that God was calling me to love and serve him as his bride.  Since professing…there are still plenty of unknowns in my life.  But I learned to trust that as long as I am faithful to his call, God will always be there to guide me.  Sister Marie Jeannette Lewis.

St. Elizabeth Altar Society Committees:  Stuffing and hiding Easter eggs on Palm Sunday:  Jenny Allen, Jacquelyn Anselment, and Sarah Reyling.  Mother/Daughter Banquet: Cathy Anselment, Brenda Thomas, and Marsha Richards

Bishop Braxton extends an invitation to all parishioners throughout the Diocese, to join him for the Chrism Mass on Tuesday, March 27 beginning at 11:30 am at St. Peter Cathedral in Belleville.  The Bishop is also pleased to invite each parish that reserves the Holy Oils to send two representatives to receive the Holy Oils at the Chrism Mass.  Please turn two volunteer names into the office.

CRS Rice Bowls:  We encounter Alefa in Malawi, where seeds are helping her family survive an uncertain climate.  How can you care for God’s creation this Lent?  How can you support those, worldwide, who are forced to flee their homes to find safety or better opportunities?  Visit crsricebowl.org for more.

The Catholic Service & Ministry Appeal (CSMA):  A most heartfelt thanks to all those who have already responded with a gift to the 2018 Appeal; we are truly grateful.  If you have not yet done so, there’s still plenty of time…one-time donations or pledges – in any amount – are needed.  Our seminarians, people served by Catholic Urban Programs and Daystar Community Program, the youngsters at Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School and 10 other ministries and programs are counting on your support.  Donation can be made through your parish (envelopes located in the back of church or in your envelope packet) or online at www.diobelle.org.  Please consider making your gift today or at any time in the coming months.  Thank you and may God bless you for your generosity.

St. John Nepomucene Fish Dinner was a huge success.  We would like to thank everyone who helped in making this an annual event.  A big thank you to Jim McPeak!  We couldn’t do it without you.  Also, thank you to Jerome Gholson for our raffle tickets.  Thank you for all the donations.  The winners:  $100 (Rapp Brothers Farm) – Dave Cassidy, $100 (St. Ann’s Altar Society) – Fin Bowling, $100 (Peoples National Bank) – Mark Reyling, $50 (Mark & Cindy Rapp) – Debbie Rubenacker, $50 (Rapp Cabinets) – Marvin Meador, $50 (Bowling & Associates) – Cleo Rapp $50 (Countertop Creations) – Pandora Reyling, $50 (Rapp Concrete) – Kenny Rapp, $50 Kohls Gift Card (Gary & Jeanette Hart) – Vicki Bowling, $25 (Betty Rapp) – Dan Chapman, 2 Fish Dinner/2 appetizers (Deep South) – Colby Karcher, Gift Basket (Sherri Karcher) – Albert Wuebbels, Pet Gift Basket (Miss Rhonda’s Pet Care) – Tom Zienta, Table & Chair Set (Mike & Karen Karcher) – Emily Manning, Gift (Dahlgren Building Center) – Mark White, Gift Basket (Hamilton Co. Telephone Coop) – Carol Aydt. 2 Fish Dinner/Pizza/2 Liter Soda (Hamson’s Trading Post) – Cara Bowling, $50 Chilis Gift Card (Draper Insurance) – James Dix, Gift Basket (Sue Karcher) – Philis Wuebbels, Gift (Seasonings) – Paul Rapp, Gift (Gossip Shop) – Teresa Erwin, $25 Gift Card Applebee’s (Fr. Kreher) – Bill Hertsing, Kitchen Soap Set (Cindy Rapp) – Bert Dodson

Family Prayer:  Help us to put you first, Lord – seek your will and help grow faith in others.

Oracion in familia:  Senor, ayudanos a ponerte primero, a buscar tu voluntad y ayudar a aumentar la fe en los demas.

“Growing Old Gracefully,” Saturday, April 7, 10:00 am at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception in Mt. Vernon.  Gary Behrman, PhD, MSW, MDiv, will explore what it means to age gracefully, integrate spirituality into our human development, and utilize a spiritual approach to aging well.  Doors will open on at 9:00 a.m.  RSVP by April 2 to Janice Gahagan jgahagan@stmarymtvernon.org or call 618-244-1559.  Funded by the Ministry to Sick & Aged, Catholic Diocese of Belleville. Sponsored by the Parish Nurses of St. Mary Church.

The family of Bill Rost would like to thank Fr. Ptak, Cathy Anselment, Eucharistic ministers, pallbearers, servers, St. Elizabeth Altar Society, those who brought food, and everyone else for the kind words and prayers.  We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness during our loss.  The Bill Rost Family

Deacon’s Notes:

The Deacon note’s focuses on John’s Gospel. Jesus said; “The Father will honor whoever serves Me. I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your Name.” Then a voice came from Heaven, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.” Three times the Father speaks to Jesus from Heaven: here, at His Baptism (Mark 3:17) and at His Transfiguration (Mt 1:5). These announcements were made audible for the sake of His followers. These Commandments from God, are still true today, The Lord gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Are we listening to God everyday in our Christian journey? Good day and God Bless, Deacon Archie; We all had a nice vacation, and I will be away again this week, please pray for me, while I’ll be out  few weeks, recovering from minor surgery.

Pastor’s Notes:

Monday, March 19, we will celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Joseph was foster father to Jesus.  Scripture calls him – “a righteous man” (Matthew 1:18).  We know he was a carpenter, a working man.  He wasn’t rich, for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised he offered the sacrifice of a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who couldn’t afford a lamb.  Joseph came from a royal family of King David.  Joseph was a compassionate and caring man.  Joseph deeply respected God and followed God’s Commandments.  Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus’ public life, at his death, or Resurrection many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry.  According to the Catholic Encyclopedia he died July 20, AD 18 in Nazareth.  Joseph is also patron saint of the Universal Church, fathers, families, immigrants, travelers, craftsmen, engineers, house sellers and buyers, and those who are dying.  We celebrate two feast days for Joseph:  March 19 for Joseph Husband of Mary and Mary 1 for Joseph the Worker.  In art, Joseph is portrayed as an older man, with gray hair and a beard, often balding appearing to Mary and Jesus.  Some statues of Joseph show his staff topped with flowers.  St. Joseph is shown with the attributes of a carpenter’s square or tools, the infant Jesus, his lily blossomed staff,  or two turtle doves.  St. Joseph Pray for Us!  God Bless, Fr. Slawomir Ptak