FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT – February 22, 2026

Please, check out the Hungarian section (link at the bottom) as well, as some Hungarian related news or information may be found only there.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM Árpád, Irén, & Árpád Jr. Szentkirályi, by the Family

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: Have you ever wondered why are we asked to fast and practice mortification? Abbot Prosper Guéranger (†1875) provides an illuminating answer:

Penance consists in contrition of the soul and mortification of the body, these two parts are essential to it. The soul has willed the sin, the body has frequently cooperated in its commission. Moreover, man is composed of both soul and body, both, then, should pay homage to their Creator. The body is to share with the soul either the delights of heaven or the torments of hell, there cannot, therefore, be any thorough Christian life, or any earnest penance, where the body does not take part, in both, with the soul.

But it is the soul which gives reality to penance. The Gospel teaches this by the examples it holds out to us of the prodigal son, of Magdalene, of Zaccheus, and of Saint Peter. The soul, then, must be resolved to give up every sin, she must heartily grieve over those she has committed, she must hate sin, she must shun the occasions of sin. The sacred Scriptures have a word for this inward disposition, which has been adopted by the Christian world, and which admirably expresses the state of the soul that has turned away from her sins: this word is conversion.

The Christian should, therefore, during Lent, study to excite himself to this repentance of heart, and look upon it as the essential foundation of all his Lenten exercises. Nevertheless, he must remember that this spiritual penance would be a mere delusion were he not to practice mortification of the body. Let him study the example given him by his Savior, who grieves, indeed, and weeps over our sins, but he also expiates them by his bodily sufferings. Hence it is that the Church, the infallible interpreter of her divine Master’s will, tells us that the repentance of our heart will not be accepted by God unless it be accompanied by fasting and abstinence (from The Liturgical Year – Lent, [Dublin: 1870], pp.32-33).

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: On March 1, we are honored to welcome Dr. Sulyok Tamás, president of Hungary. He will visit us for our 11AM Mass here at St. Emeric Church and for our agapé meal afterwards. The president will be our honored guest speaker at the 1848 commemoration (followed by a pastry reception) which will be on the same day (March 1) at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth of Hungary at 3:15 PM. All of you are invited. Please note, you may attend the Shrine of St. Elizabeth event, even if you have not RSVP-d (RSVP was for our planning purposes).

SIDEWALK ADVOCATES FOR LIFE is organizing a volunteer training for those interested in learning how to help vulnerable moms and dads choose life for their baby when they think they have no other options. Sidewalk Advocates for Life has helped save over 25,000 babies. The training will take place next Saturday February 28 from 8:30am-3:00pm at Mary Queen of Peace (4423 Pearl Rd. Cleveland, OH 44109). This training will: –Provide a deeper understanding of the Pro-Life position –Assist with counseling a friend or family member who is experiencing a pregnancy crisis –Enable you to serve on the sidewalk & reach abortion-vulnerable women and men & by God’s grace give them the opportunity to choose LIFE. Contact Sarah McGervey at sidewalkadvocatescleveland@gmail.com to register in advance. SPACE IS LIMITED. Suggested donation is $15 (cash/check/venmo/paypal).

The 2026 CATHOLIC CHARITIES ANNUAL APPEAL: Thank you to all who participated in the campaign here at St. Emeric! If you have not had a chance to make a gift, please visit www.CatholicCommunity.org/give, or use the envelopes in the pews and drop them in the collection basket.

A Review of Lenten Regulations for Latin Catholics: 1. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat and also days of fast, that is, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. 2. All Fridays during Lent are days of abstinence from meat. 3. The obligation to abstain from meat commences at 14 years old. 4. The obligation to fast commences at 18 years of age and ends at 59 years of age.

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $2,370; Maintenance: $10; Boiler cost offset: $20; Renovation: $150, Additional income from Pork Sausage Dinner: $45. May God reward your generosity in supporting the church. Thank you for sending in your donations by mail or using our website https://stemeric.com/donations/.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Teréz Kalász, Lajos Boday, Márta Takács, Kathy Szabó, Alex Szaday, Virginia Kachmar, Margaret Falk, Mária Hokky, and Balázs Bedy.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

THIS SUNDAY the 11:00 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/

LET US PRAY THREE HAIL MARYS FOR OUR PARISH EVERY DAY!

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.