Lenten Season Coming

Dear Parishioners,

Lent begins next week, Wednesday, March 6th. As usual, we have our three Masses we offer on that day. We have Mass at 8:30 AM with our school, a 12:05 PM Mass timed for our folks on a lunch breaks, and we have our 7 PM bilingual Mass for the whole church whether they speak English or Spanish.  And that is the start. There is much happening in which you can participate. Here are the basics:

• Friday Simple Suppers - these will begin at 5 PM and conclude at 6:30 PM

• Friday Stations of the Cross - These will begin at 6:30 PM in the church. See schedule in the bulletin

• Rite of Election- The Archbishop will be with us on the following Satuday, March 9th. This is not a Mass, but a Liturgy of the Word with a rite of special recognition for those who are journeying through the RCIA and desire to become fully initiation Catholics.

• Small Lenten Groups - see bulletin or office for detail

• FORMED Lenten Resources - Check out the Lenten online

• Kiosk - Special books and CD’s have been rotated in with enrichment for Lent

Fast and Feast - This idea for Lent speaks of a creative mix of fasting or abstaining from things that are not good for you or others. Another approach is to add something which will deepen and strengthen your faith.  Here’s some ideas from the author and minister, William Arthur.

Fast from judging others; Fast from hostility;
Feast on the Christ indwelling them. Feast on non-resistance.

Fast from emphasis on differences; Fast from bitterness;
Feast on the unity of all life. Feast on forgiveness.

Fast from apparent darkness; Fast from self-concern;
Feast on the reality of light. Feast on compassion for others.

Fast from thoughts of illness; Fast from discouragement;
Feast on the healing power of God. Feast on hope.

Fast from words that pollute; Fast from suspicion;
Feast on phrases that purify. Feast on truth

Fast from discontent; Fast from idle gossip;
Feast on gratitude. Feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from anger; Fast from unrelenting pressures;
Feast on patience. Feast on unceasing prayer

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Scrutinies

Dear Parishioners,

As we continue our journey through Lent, there are some very special rites we celebrate for those seeking to enter the Church via our RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults).  I am speaking of the “Scrutinies.”  Often I get raised eyebrows when people hear the name of these rites. They sound quite dramatic, and we actually hope they are for those participating in them.  But, they are not something to fear.  It is my hope that they build up the hope and strengthen the faith of those experiencing the Scrutinies.  

The actual rite comes from antiquity and is celebrated on the third, fourth, and fifth weekends of Lent. So, this week, the Scrutiny was held at the Saturday 5 PM Mass and will move to the Sunday 8 AM and 11 AM Mass respectively in the coming weeks.  Originally, these rites were the ways the early Church assessed the readiness of those who desired to be baptized and, thus, become Christians. Over time, the rituals changed and eventually disappeared along with the whole process of the Catechumenate as it was once called. It was after the Second Vatican Council that the call was made to restore the RCIA and all of its rites and adapt it to modern times. In our case, we use a combined rite for the elect (those to be baptized) and candidates (those already baptized).

What does the rite consist of?  It begins with bringing the elect and candidates with their sponsors before the community. Then there is an invitation to prayer and a period of silence.  The Elect are asked to kneel and the Candidates are asked to bow their heads, both as a sign of inner repentance.  What follows are intercessions for the elect and candidates. A prayer of Exorcism and laying on of hands or hands stretched over is made by the presider. The rite concludes with a dismissal so that they can leave and take part in a deeper reflection on the Word of God already proclaimed at Mass.

The purpose for the elect and candidates at each of the scrutinies is to 1. to uncover, 2. to heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful, and 3. to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good. (cf. RCIA 141).  In the big picture,, “the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ.” (ibid. 141).

So, I hope you will be able to witness and prayerfully support our elect and candidates in the Scrutinies. Personally, I find them to are very moving and powerful for all involved, including myself.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Reasons To Rejoice!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter season and, especially today, Mercy Sunday.  So many wonderful things are happening about us because of God's work.  We received many adults and children into the Church via baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.  Fr. José was the presider and did a great job.  I felt blessed to be able to have such a competent Parochial Vicar who can just take over.  Congratulations to all our Neophytes (that's what the Church calls the newly baptized and confirmed)!

Also today is a special day for the Church Universal, for we will be witnessing the canonization of two amazing new saints: Sts. Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  I was not yet born when John XXIII was living, but I studied about him and his work in the Second Vatican Council when I was a seminarian.  What a loving and gracious man he was!  I am so very thankful for his openness to the Holy Spirit and his daring call for an Ecumenical Council.  Pope John Paul II is someone with whom I am much more familiar.  He has been the pope for most of my childhood and was a great inspiration to me in my journey to the priesthood.  This day, Mercy Sunday, was a special celebration for Pope John Paul II, and he was the one who called the Church to observe it as a special day for the whole Church.  Here's a link to the USCCB's website for more information about these canonizations.

On Tuesday, one of our own archdiocesan priests, Fr. Peter Smith will be ordained a bishop.  He was ordained a deacon at the same Mass where I was ordained a priest.  He is a member of the association of the People of Praise.  Our Archdiocese is large, and we have great need for an auxiliary bishop who can assist Archbishop Sample in the shepherding of our Church.  Congratulations to Bishop-elect Peter Smith!

In all, today we have many reasons to rejoice.  The greatest one is, of course, the reality that Jesus Christ is risen and has opened the gates of heaven for his faithful.  May this Good News be in your hearts and minds so that we can all rejoice together and spread the joy of this Gospel to all we know!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Blessed Easter!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter!  Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia! Alleluia!

All during the season of Lent we’ve been preparing ourselves for this time.  Now it is upon us.  But what does that mean?  You might ask, what significance is that for me?  Well, simply put, it means that there is an opportunity for heaven for you and for me.  It means that we can be forgiven of our sins.  It means that Jesus broke the barrier of death so that we can live forever.  It is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. It means that death is not the end.  It means that the Eucharist is more than just receiving Jesus, it is a foretaste of heaven. 

Easter means that we have many new Catholics in our midst.  On Easter Vigil Saturday, we baptized 9 people, submersing them in the waters of forgiveness.  Sixteen were further confirmed and given their first Holy Communion.  It was a joyous time.  This year’s class of new Catholics were a real inspiration to me and our whole team.  From day one, our RCIA team knew that this would be a special year.  As we gathered for our first class, it became obvious that we could not fit in the room.  There were simply too many people.  What a delightful problem.  So, we simply moved to a larger room for the year.  What transpired was amazing, mysterious, and joy-filled.  I want to especially thank Jessica Bubien, our Pastoral Associate, as this was her first year directing our RCIA.  I want to thank the many persons on her team. Without them, we couldn’t have offered our RCIA well.  Thank you all!

So now that Easter has arrived, I pray that you and your family will have a time of peace and joy.  The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.  These are God’s ways of showing us how much he loves us.  But even then, they pale in comparison to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead.  So, let them always remind you of this cost of true love.  

May you all have a blessed Easter!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Faith Opportunities at St. Anne's

Dear Parishioners,

There are many moments and programs full of opportunities to grow in your your faith once again.  Here’s just some of the wonderful highlights.

Movie Night
On Friday, Feb. 8th at 5 PM, we will be offering a very popular Disney-Pixar film which is for everyone, especially families.  It has been scheduled at this time so that families can come with their children, bringing their own dinner and a snack to share, and enjoy the company of other parishioners in a movie which portrays a fantastic Christian teaching.  Through two main characters, an old man and a young boy, the two have to face and fight through their fears and sorrows in order to find joy in their lives, in order to reach their dreams, in order to become who they are meant to be.  With the use of thousands of balloons, the old man decides to “float” his house up-up-and-away to a distant place in order to accomplish a life’s dream.  The boy, accidentally was on the porch the moment of the launching of the house, and from there begins the adventure.  Maybe this story is familiar to you, and maybe you know the title of the wonderful film.  Either way, this film captures the Catholic narrative of the Paschal mystery of suffering, death, and resurrection.  Didn’t see it that way the first time around watching it?  Well, come and see it again with new eyes and heart.  Maybe you will be looking “up” more often when difficulties strike.

Disciples on the Journey & Friday’s of Lent
A week from Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13th.  Can you believe that?  It has come so quickly!  That means Easter is also early, in fact Easter Sunday is March 31st this year. During Lent, as has been our custom, everyone is being encouraged to join or create their own Disciples on the Journey small faith sharing group.  These groups are fantastic ways to journey the 40 days of Lent so that, at the end, we will be ready to celebrate the great mystery of Christ’s resurrection.  In addition, we will begin again our simple dinners each Friday followed by Stations of the Cross done by various groups and ministries of the parish.

Vespers & Holy Hour
On Tuesday, February 12th, the day before Ash Wednesday, as part of Archbishop Vlazny’s call to greater attention in prayer to the issues of our day, we will be holding an evening prayer service (a.k.a. vespers) and solemn holy hour of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament here at St. Anne’s in the church.  It will be bilingual (English and Spanish), so all our parishioners can participate in their own language.

Vespers is the other great liturgy of the Church after the Mass.  It is part of what is called, The Liturgy of the Hours.  The purpose of the Liturgy of the Hours is to sanctify the hours the day by taking out special time to pray the psalms, listen to Scripture, and offer our prayers for the whole Church.  It is done by practically all religious and priests throughout the world everyday.

It is from the Liturgy of the Hours that the Rosary came to the fore.  The laity, in ancient time, desired to pray as the monks did, but were not literate or had prayer books.  So, the Rosary arose as a way to pray akin to the monks, but with no need for books.  The Rosary was a set of simple prayers the people could memorize, and grew and developed over time to what we see today.  The Psalms number 150 as do the original Hail Mary’s prayed in a rosary.

Come celebrate Mardi Gras in a different way by joining together in Evening Prayer with Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  The focus will be the Eucharist, life issues, marriage, and religious liberty.  We will supply the booklets needed.  All you need to do is come and pray.  Again, hope to see you there.

Rite of Election
Every year people find themselves on a profound spiritual journey to the Catholic Church.  Our process for helping them is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA for short.  This year’s group is exceptionally large.  Praise God!  In two short weeks, Archbishop Vlazny will come to St. Anne’s to host an important step for those seeking baptism (Catechumens) and reception into full communion (Candidates).  The event is called the Rite of Election.  All the Vicariate parishes will be bringing their Catechumens and Candidates to St. Anne’s to be recognized by Archbishop Vlazny.  Everyone is invited.  This is not a Mass, but a formal ritual that is certainly full of good news.  The electricity of emotion is in the air whenever we celebrate a Rite of Election.  So, please consider yourself invited to this liturgy on Saturday, February 16th at 10:30 AM at St. Anne’s and witness the Church alive and growing!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Getting Involved In Your Faith

Dear Parishioners,

We are well underway for the school year. As such, it is a time to ask, as a family or individual how you are going to grow in your faith. Well, we here at St. Anne’s have a myriad of opportunities in which to learn and grow in your faith.

Children’s Faith Formation, formerly known as Religious Education or CCD, meets almost every Sunday between the two Masses. It is open to children from grades K through 5th grade. Faith Formation speaks more directly to the mission than previous titles. It is not enough just to have intellectual knowledge of the faith. It is also important to have that faith living in one’s heart. If your child is in second grade, this is the time to enroll them in preparation classes for First Reconciliation and First Communion. Those classes will begin meeting in October every other Wednesday in the evening. See the “Faith Formation” section of our bulletin or talk to Terry Knouff for more information.

Youth Ministry is intended for our young people grades 6th through 12th. Our Middle School students meet each Wednesday evening while the High Schoolers meet each Sunday evening. If your teen is a sophomore, then this is the time to make sure that they sign up for preparation classes for Confirmation. They will be meeting between the Masses on Sundays like last year. See the “Youth News” section of our bulletin or talk to Natalie Scott for more information.

If you have a child who is almost seven years of age and has not received any Sacraments or has only received baptism, we have special classes for them which will help integrate them into their peer community while also helping them grow in the special areas they need in order to receive the sacraments they need. Depending on their age (described above), seek out either Terry or Natalie.

If you know a family who has been away or is unaware of these wonderful offerings for their children, please make an effort to let them know about what they are missing. It seems that every year there is someone who approaches us near the end of the school year who realizes that they had forgotten to enroll their children in sacramental preparation. Who knows? You may be the one who can remind them and help them before it is too late in the year.

For our adult parishioners, keep your eyes peeled to the bulletin and listen to the pulpit announcements for some amazing opportunities this year which include Catholicism 101, The Great Adventure Bible Study, the ACTS Retreats, a Mission with John Michael Talbot, and much more. Maybe consider giving your time to a ministry such as Faith Formation or youth Ministry. If you speak Spanish, seek out Esperanza Robles, our Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry, who is always open to having more people to get involved.

Finally, if you are an adult who desires to join the Catholic Faith or are a Catholic in need of any of the Sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation, or Eucharist, please seek out Terry who can help you connect with a wonderful group of other adults who are journeying in the same way.

St. Anne’s is a wonderful place where many things are ongoing. It certainly isn’t stagnant nor boring. Take a moment and ponder on how God is calling you and your family to grow in the Faith. Hopefully, some of these things mentioned will give you inspiration to make some decisions, if you haven’t already, to get involved.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Baptism: What Is It? What Controversies Surround It?

Dear Parishioners,

Happy New Year once again! With each day, we will be receiving roughly one more minute a day longer of sunshine. With each day becoming longer, the nighttime is shortened and pushed away. So too does Christ, our light, our hope, our faith bring light to our hearts. Last week we celebrated Epiphany, a celebration of Christ’s manifestation to the Magi and the whole world. This weekend, we wrap up the Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord.

Did Christ need to be baptized? No. He needed no forgiveness of sins nor repentance since he was sinless. However, he did so to show us the way. We are to follow him as was St. Paul (1 Cor. 11:1). We need baptism. But, this Sacrament is often misunderstood.

Baptism forgives the one being baptized of original sin as well as any personal sin, makes the person a “new creature” in Christ, incorporates the person into the Church, the Body of Christ, creates a bond between all Christians, and is sealed with an indelible (think permanent) mark (think character) that the person belongs to Christ. All this commits the person to a life dedicated to living a life different than those of the world. This event is not repeatable and is the first step towards full communion with the Church which is completed in reception of the Eucharist and Confirmation.

Baptism is also a source of controversy. One such controversy is that of infant baptism. For some, baptism is some- thing that follows one’s commitment to Christ. For adults this is true. But, for infants it is not possible for them to make a personal assent. So, the parents and godparents make such commitments for them. Even then, baptism is one of the most radical Sacraments in that in infant baptism, the child receives all these gifts (charisms) without any merit or personal choice on their own. In fact, such baptisms demonstrate the incredible radicalness of God’s free grace.

Also controversial is the Church’s claim that baptism is neces- sary for salvation. This theological statement is not something the Church made up, for indeed Christ himself affirmed this where he said that we must be born again of water and spirit (see John 3:5). This is the normative way we receive baptism. Yet, the Church also recognizes other unusual forms which include a baptism of blood (martyrdom) or desire (someone who is a catechumen or desires baptism but dies prior to receiving it).

For further reflection, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1217-1284. If you have an unbaptized child who has not reached the age of seven years old, simple classes are required for the parents and godparents. If the person to be baptized is seven years or older, they have the right to take in-depth classes and receive not only baptism, but first Eucharist, and Confirmation. These classes are part of what we call the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults/Teens/ Children also called the RCIA, RCIT, and RCIC respectively. Please seek out Terry Knouff, our Coordinator of Faith Forma- tion if you or a family member is seeking out the Sacrament of Baptism.

Blessings,

Fr. Williams Holtzinger

Pastor

Easter Reconciles Us Anew

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Happy Easter! Christ is risen! At this time of the year, our Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This miracle of our faith has broken the bonds of death and our slavery to sin. It is also a time of renewal and forgiveness.

At Easter, we celebrate and welcome home those who have recently joined the Church through the Easter Vigil. They remind us all of the need to seek out Christ through his Church. Easter is also a time when we welcome visitors and friends we haven’t seen in a while whether just visiting family or just coming because it is Easter. Please know of my gratitude for your presence among us.

For many reasons people come and go in the Church. Sometimes that is due to past hurts or anger as a result of actions on the part of the Church. If you have been injured or hurt in any way by any member of our Church, I sincerely apologize and ask your forgiveness. Please let us try again. Having a new pastor and parochial vicar may afford you to start anew without your history haunting you. If anyone in our staff has spoken uncharitably or acted unkind, again, please accept my apology on their behalf. I believe we need to uphold the standard set by Jesus, that is to love God and our neighbor. I believe in the highest standard of care, and desire to heal hurts that I or anyone in our Church has cause due to failure of this standard.

If you have been away for many years, I would like to invite you to come and join our “Welcome Home Catholics” group. In this program, Catholics who have been away for many years have an opportunity to ask questions and learn about things that have changed. It is a way to help ease their transition. Contact Fr. Paschal Ezurike for more information about this wonderful process.

If you are not Catholic and are interested in becoming Catholic or would simply like to inquire about what we believe, we have a group of people that meet to learn about the faith. This is called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. We have analogous gathering for teens and children as well. Contact Terry Knouff for more information if you are an adult or have pre-teen children who are interested in joining. Contact Hans Mueller if you are a teen and want to learn about joining.

Easter is a time to recall that Christ rose from the dead. We, too, are people who desire to be transformed and forgiven as Jesus called us to be. May this Easter season be an opportunity to renew your faith and restore your walk with the Church. If I or any of our staff can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

May God bless you and give you joy in your heart.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor