St. Marks Weekly Bulletin

March 5, 2006

SATURDAY-March 4
9:00 A.M        Margaret Naiden by John & Donna Harnish

SATURDAY-VIGIL FOR SUNDAY-March 4
4:00 P.M.        The Bove Family by Corinne Bove Maietta

SUNDAY-March 5
8:30 A.M.        For the parishioners of St. Mark's Parish
11:00 A.M.        Teresa Marvin by family

MONDAY-March 6
9:00 A.M.        Angelo Boccio (7^th Anniv.) by his wife, Mary and family

TUESDAY-March 7-Sts. Perpetua & Felicity
9:00 A.M        Bill Devino by Helen Beaulac

WEDNESDAY-March 8-St. John of God
9:00 A.M.        Isabel Neary by Rita Bissonette & Ginny Ringey
5:30 P.M.        Eileen Lapan by her Godson, Will McCormick & his family

THURSDAY-March 9-St. Frances of Rome
9:00 A.M         Charlie Schifilliti by Pierre Pepin

FRIDAY-March 10
9:00 A.M.        Bill Devino by friends
5:00 P.M.        Sacrament of Reconciliation
5:30 P.M.        Stations of the Cross

SATURDAY-March 11
9:00 A.M.        Arlene LeBlanc by Jack and family

SATURDAY-VIGIL FOR SUNDAY-March 11
4:00 P.M.        Lorraine LeClair by Steven & Janice Fuller

SUNDAY-March 12
8:30 A.M.        For the parishioners of St. Mark's Parish
11:00 A.M.        Charlie Schifilliti by Bob & Patty Geffken

February 26 Attendance at Mass	584
February 26 (183 envelopes)	$4,022.24
Fuel Collection	$2,323.26
Weekly Average since July 1^st(34 weeks)	$4,944.91
Weekly Goal	$5,300.00

Thank you for your continued generosity!

PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION CHAPEL

We have a few hours to fill with committed adorers. Hours to fill are Tuesday, 4 to 5 a.m., Thursday midnight to 1 a.m. Friday morning, 1 to 2 a.m. Friday, Saturday 11 p.m. to Midnight and Sunday, Midnight to 1 a.m. Monday. We are always looking for substitutes for the hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Please call Marge at 658-0228 or Winnie at 862-9598 if you are able to help out for a short period or to commit to spend an hour with our Lord.

Dear Friends,
It has been a challenge to find candidates for the Parish Council election. Many have been reluctant to run for election but I think we finally have enough candidates to go ahead. I thank all who have agreed to be on the ballot. The tentative date of the election is the weekend of March 25-26. We will be providing you with photos and biographical sketches of the candidates to help you familiarize yourselves with them before you cast your vote.
I hope to see many of you at the Cathedral on Monday-Wednesday evenings for our parish retreat with Father Lavalley. I know that Father's talks will be fruitful and benefit us in our Lenten preparations for Easter. Have a good week.
-Father Bill<>

RCIA UPDATE: The Rite of Election will be held 2 p.m. on Sunday March 5^th, at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral. This Rite celebrates the conversion of mind, heart, and soul of the Catechumens and Candidates as they move into their final preparation before full reception into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil. Trevor Tofani and Nicholas Johnson from our parish have been studying and preparing for the past year. Please keep them in your prayers during these exciting days and consider attending the Mass this Sunday. Bishop Matano will be the main celebrant. All are welcome.

PLEASE NOTE: We have added a 9 a.m. Mass on Wednesdays during Lent. We will also have the 5:30 p.m. Mass preceded by confessions at 5:00 p.m.

PARISH LENTEN RETREAT: The Burlington Parishes are joining together for a retreat which is being held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception this coming Monday through Wednesday evenings (March 6^th through 8^th) at 7 p.m. Father Richard Lavalley, pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish in Winooski, will be leading the retreat. Plan to join us.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Join us for this traditional Lenten devotion which we will pray every Friday evening of Lent at 5:30 p.m. in the church. Confessions will precede the stations from 5:00-5:25 p.m.

LENTEN SERIES ON SPIRITUALITY: Father Dan White will be offering a series on spirituality on four consecutive Wednesday evenings beginning March 15^th. The talk on March 15^th is entitled “What is Authentic Catholic Spirituality?”

THEY'RE HERE! Be sure to stop by the Free CD display and take advantage of the wealth of information that awaits you to help you grow in your faith and share that faith with others. Choose from a variety of topics presented by today's top Catholic theologians and speakers. After you have listened to them, pass them on to others so they can be inspired, too! For those who are able, a suggested donation of $2.50 per CD would be greatly appreciated so that we can keep this program ongoing. Be sure to take some home!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM 2005-2006

SUNDAY MORNING RELIGION CLASSES: No classes this week, March 5^th due to mid-winter break. Classes resume March 12^th.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL RELIGION CLASSES: No classes this week, March 5^th due to mid-winter break. Classes resume March 12^th.

TUESDAY RELIGION CLASSES: No classes March 7^th due to mid-winter break. Classes resume March 14^th.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES (first through eighth grades) are implementing a diocesan program, Formation in Christian Chastity to help your children recognize the steps they can take to keep themselves safe. Parents will be receiving in the mail information regarding the program. Parents are invited to attend a meeting to further discuss this program on March 12^th at 9:30 a.m. (grades 1-5) and 6:30 p.m. (middle school) and again on March 14^th at 6 p.m. (grades 1-5).

The Library is closed today March 5^th due to Mid Winter break and no Religion Classes. We will open next Sunday, March 12^th.

Readings for the Week of March 5, 2006

Sunday	Gn 9:8-15/ 1 Pt 3:18-22/ Mk 1:12-15
Monday	Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/ Mt 25:31-46
Tuesday	Is 55:10-11/ Mt 6:7-15
Wednesday	Jon 3:1-10/ Lk 11:29-32
Thursday	Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/ Mt 7:7-12
Friday	Ez 18:21-28/ Mt 5:20-26
Saturday	Dt 26:16-19/ Mt 5:43-48
Sunday	Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18/ Rom 8:31b-34/ Mk 9:2-10

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL is now accepting Registrations for children in Pre K through 8th grade. Our school is always open for a tour! For more information or to schedule a visit call the school office @ 864-5623.

THE SECULAR FRANCISCANS will meet Sunday, March 12th, at 2 P.M. in the chapel and parish hall of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, Burlington. Newcomers and friends are welcome.

CYO BASKETBALL: Today, March 5^th our 5-6 graders play Mater Christi at Rice High School at 1 p.m and our 7-8 graders play St. Pius X at Essex High School at 2 p.m. Come and cheer them on!

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS will host a breakfast next Sunday, March 12^th from 9 a.m - noon. See bulletin insert.

VERMONT CATHOLIC CHARITIES is looking for a few volunteers to assist with special projects, answer phones and check people in for appointments. The commitment is minimal- - - -a few times a year, usually for a half day, whatever fits your schedule. Also looking for 1 or 2 people to cover the receptionist desk on Monday, from 3:30 -5:00 p.m. If you can help us on occasion or would like further information, please call the office and ask for JoAnn or Linda, 658-6110 x312.

FREE TAX HELP FOR SENIORS: The AARP Foundation, in cooperation with the IRS, will provide free and confidential tax assistance for low and middle income taxpayers age 60 and older. Membership by AARP is NOT required. This will be done at St. Mark's Family Center every Tuesday and Thursday, through April, by appointment. Call 862-2796 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays to set up your appointment.

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL Annual Benefit Auction will be held on March 11, 2006 at the Wyndham Hotel. Doors Open at 6 p.m. All are invited! Many great items have been donated from area business. Tickets are $15. Call 864-5623 for more information and to reserve tickets!

ST. JOHN VIANNEY CHURCH, So. Burlington, will host a Lenten Service of Prayer with Music from the Taize Community on Friday, March 10^th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. All are invited.

LADIES OF ST. MARK will have their monthly meeting on Thursday, March 9^th at 6:30 p.m. Our guest speaker will be Fr. Dan White. At 7:00 p.m. Father will share his experiences of working in Calcutta with Blessed Mother Teresa's Sisters. All are welcomed to join us at that time.

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED for the safety of our service men and women and support personnel working as peace-keepers throughout the world and for those who are seriously ill, especially Joanne Burbo, Shirley Fuller, Karen Kelley, Iris Lacasse, Tiz Mazza, Claire Roy, Mikaela Sienkiewicz and for the repose of the souls of Rev. Edward Moore and Barbara Sanneman.

To have someone from your family enrolled in this list, please call the Rectory Office at 864-7686. Names will be listed for one month unless the office is notified that the condition continues and prayers are still requested.

The Mass Explained: Liturgy of the Eucharist Continued

The words of 'sacrifice' and 'offering' are repeated throughout the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Recall what we stated about the four Eucharistic themes of sacrifice, unity, eschatological banquet, and presence and how the Eucharist has a profoundly and primarily sacrificial meaning. In silence, the priest prays these words of sacrifice: “Lord God, we ask you to receive us, and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.” Then, he asks the altar servers to wash his fingers. In ancient Masses, it had practical meaning because the priest would handle food, money and incense and his hands would be dirty. Today, it is meant as a symbolic washing. As the water is being poured over the priest's fingers, he prays inaudibly “Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sins” as a reminder of his own sinfulness and need for God's mercy and before offering the perfect sacrifice to the Father.

The priest will then address the faithful and invite them to “pray [brethren], that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” We ask our Heavenly Father to accept our offerings like God accepted the sacrifice Abel, Abraham, our Father in Faith, and the bread and wine offered by Melchisedech. The people's response is imperative because it is the perfect summary of the very essence of Mass. They profess that Mass is “... for the praise and glory of His name, for our good, and the good of all His Church.” The exchange of these two prayers complete the Preparation of the Gifts.

We all stand for this exchange because immediately after the faithful respond, the priest prays the second of the three 'presidential prayers.' The first was the opening prayer and the third will be the concluding prayer. It deserves the emphasis we give it by standing attentively. The priest's hands are extended as he 'collects' the prayers of the people and presents them to God Most High.

Since the priest has lifted up the gifts of bread and wine and ourselves, he now invites the faithful to “Lift up your hearts.” When the faithful respond, “We lift them up to the Lord” they are saying that they are ready to look at what is happening through the eyes of Faith, and not with mere human eyes. The eyes of Faith help us to see that we are no longer alone - angels and saints join us in praising God. This prayer is called the “Preface.” There are a variety of Preface's for the various feasts and seasons. Listen carefully to the words of the Preface if you want a summary of salvation history or the feast/season.

Together we sing the “Holy, Holy, Holy...” three times as in Isaiah's prophesy (6:1-3) and as a reminder of the serious nature of what we are doing. On Palm Sunday, the crowd sang 'Holy, Holy, Holy', but they quickly faded into cries for Jesus' death on Good Friday. Our constant repetition helps us to remain steadfast in praising God. All of this prepares us for the Eucharistic Prayer which is the very heart of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

- Fr. Dan

Last Update: March 5, 2006