FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – March 30, 2025 – Laetare Sunday

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: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTIONS:

9:00 AM: Parishioners of St. Emeric Parish

11:00 AM: László Győri, by Zsuzsanna Győri

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: The fourth Sunday in Lent is commonly known as Laetare Sunday. The word “laetare” means rejoice in Latin, and this idea is taken from the entrance-antiphon for the Mass, which starts “Rejoice, O Jerusalem….” Falling roughly at the half-way point in the Lenten season, this is a Sunday when traditional Lenten austerity is relaxed, and we have a reminder of the joyous resurrection to come. Therefore, on this day, exceptionally, the church can have floral arrangements. The day’s liturgical color is rose, instead of the usual purple of the Lenten season. In history, this day was also called Rose Sunday not only because of the rose colored vestments, but also because on this day Popes would bless golden roses and occasionally confer them upon illustrious churches and sanctuaries as a token of special reverence and devotion, upon Catholic sovereigns and renowned or distinguished personages, governments or cities conspicuous for their Catholic spirit and loyalty to the Holy See, as a mark of esteem and paternal affection.

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.

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET AT THE SHRINE OF ST. ELIZABETH will be prayed in the afternoon during the Fridays of Lent. Prayers will begin at 3pm and last approximately 45 minutes. This would be interactive with all taking turns in leading the prayers at each station or decades if they desire. Although the prayers will be primarily in English, we will welcome some stations or decades prayed in Hungarian. Please R.S.V.P. Mark Yonke via text or phone call @ 440-822-7617.

LEARNING ABOUT MASS: We will continue the Bp. Kornél Fábry series on the Mass, today, March 30. As we did it the last time, after 11AM Mass in our hall, we will watch a short video, followed by my comments and Q&A. The plan is to keep it under half an hour. All of you are invited. This program is in Hungarian. The next meeting will be in one week, on April 6.

LENTEN PROGRAM: On April 4^th, in the evening at 5PM, we will have the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration, followed by 6PM Mass. Part of the Mass will be a talk on the spiritual life. This program is in Hungarian.

CHURCH CLEANING DAY: On Friday, April 4^th, if there is no funeral, we will have 9AM Mass and at 10am we will begin to do some light spring cleaning in and around the church. Please, call Marika Zsula 216-676-5863 by April 1 and leave a message. We would like to plan accordingly. Thank you to all of you who help the mission of our parish in any shape or form.

PALM BRANCHES FROM LAST YEAR: The palms that we receive on Palm Sunday are blessed. If we no longer wish to have them displayed or kept in our homes, they should be properly disposed of by either burning or burying in the ground. At the beginning of the Easter vigil we will have a fire in which we will burn these branches (from them we have ashes for Ash Wednesday). If you would like to dispose of the old palm branches, please bring them to the church by April 16.

PRESENTATION ON THE CATHOLIC SHRINES: “Pilgrims in a Foreign Land: A history of America’s Hungarian Catholic Shrines and Pilgrimage Traditions.” The story of Hungarian-American shrines and pilgrimage traditions will be presented by Nicholas Boros. He will share portions of the over 300-page pictorial history he recently completed showcasing the shrines erected during the last century by Hungarian-American Catholics. This hour-long program will be in English and will take place on Saturday, April 12^th at 2 p.m. in the Cleveland Hungarian Museum, in The Galleria, Lower Level, in Downtown Cleveland.

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Collection: $1,663; Maintenance: $55; Candles: $396. 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, Balázs Bedy and Éva Fricke.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED, especially for Róbert Szüle, whose Funeral Mass will be here at St. Emeric on April 11 at 11AM. 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/ and https://stemeric.com/

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

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.