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January 17, 2021
January 17, 2021
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15 Things You May Know About Easter...A Gift from "the Nuns for Fun"
* In Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Jesus, before being blessed and distributed to congregants.* Most adults prefer milk chocolate to dark. Adults are twice as likely to buy milk chocolate when offered a choice.*Americans will consume more than 16 million jelly beans on Easter, and dentists around the country will cheer when fillings get pulled out. Sixteen million! That's enough jelly beans to circle the globe not once, not twice, but three times, or to fill a plastic egg the size of a nine-story building. According to the website candystore.com, the most popular jelly bean flavor is buttered popcorn. Yuck!* Pretzels are linked to Easter, too. Supposedly, it's because the twists of the pretzel look like arms crossed in prayer. But what does dunking them in mustard stand for?* Buying a new outfit for Easter stems from a superstition. Back in the mid-1800s, people believed that buying new clothes to wear on Easter would bring them good luck for the rest of the year. That was especially true if their family owned a clothing store.* Back in 1933, composer Irving Berlin introduced the Easter bonnet into American pop culture with his ballad "Easter Parade." Today, it's still one of the most popular songs for the holiday.* During medieval times, a very different game was played with eggs. The priest would throw a hard-boiled egg to one of the choir boys, then the choir boy would continue to toss it to his peers, and whoever was holding the egg when the clock struck 12 was the winner and got to keep it. Even if they didn’t want it after all those people touched it!* Congress once outlawed Easter egg rolling. One of the most well-known Easter traditions in America is the annual Easter Egg Roll, which dates back to President Andrew Johnson. By 1876, the game had ripped up the Capitol’s landscaping and they didn’t have enough money in the budget to fix it. Sound familiar? So the following year, instead of appropriating more funding for the gardeners, U.S. Rep. William Steele Holman of Indiana introduced the Turf Protection Act, “to prevent any portion of the Capitol grounds and terraces from being used as play-grounds."* In 1878, little kids and their parents headed over to the White House, to see if they could do an egg rolling game there. Rutherford B. Hayes was the president then and he had a soft spot for Easter. That's how the White House Easter Egg Roll was established in 1878. We didn't need the old, stinky Capitol egg rolling! Now we had the White House south lawn.But it was President Nixon who first included a bunny in the festivities in 1969, with a member of his wife's staff as the lucky person who got to wear the costume. Little known fact: President Trump's former press secretary Sean Spicer was the Easter Bunny during George W. Bush's presidency. Not the whole time, just at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.* Easter is the second biggest candy-consuming holiday. It comes in second only to Halloween.* It used to take more than a day to make a Peep. Back in 1953, when each candy Peep was handmade with a pastry tube, it took 27 hours to make a Peep. Today, machines speeds it up to about six minutes. And that's good since we eat more than 600 million Peeps during Easter.* Peeps are the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, factory where they’re made makes an impressive one billion Peeps a year, or 4 million a day.* Most Americans bite off the ears of a chocolate bunny first. A whopping 76% say that's where they take their first mouthful, followed by 5% who eat the feet first, and 4% who eat the tail first.* Brits celebrate Easter with fruitcake. The Easter simnel is a fruitcake dessert filled with apricot jam and topped with marzipan balls, which are meant to symbolize Jesus and his 12 apostles.* Easter Island got its name because Dutch explorers in the 18th century found the shores of Easter Island on Easter Sunday. Thank goodness it wasn't on St. Patrick's Day. That would be very confusing. -
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Pope Francis' Palm Sunday Homily
If you follow this link: Vatican News.... you will be able to read the Pope's complete Homily.
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Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020
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2020 Easter Message from Msgr. Nevin
"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the
body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24)
The empty tomb was actually quite startling to Jesus’ followers. Despite all they had been taught, they still did not fully comprehend what Jesus had prophesied concerning His resurrection on the third day. In a very real sense, they were still a work in progress . Ultimately, however, their faith and ours is not based on the phenomenon of the empty tomb. Instead, our Christian faith is rooted in the numerous post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to His followers. The Risen Lord was actually seen by Mary of Magdala. He was seen by the apostles who were hiding in the locked upper room. Thomas was even invited to touch Him. He also appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus, and broke bread with them. Remember, no rational people would have willingly sacrificed all they had, including their very lives, to carry on the cult of a dead man. No normal person would have ever been willing to forego a family; a personal career; a more comfortable life style and, ultimately, undergo persecution and a martyr’s death for the sake of a dead man. In fact, it would be quite reasonable to assume that in the face of Jesus’ crucifixion, they would have been distraught, beaten down and ready to run off in different directions. They would have gone back to their former ways of life as fishermen or laborers or tax collectors. So, we the believers of today, base our faith on the eye-witness testimony of the Apostles and other followers who experienced not only the empty tomb, but, most importantly, the Risen Christ. Saint Paul made a critical point when he wrote, “If Christ is not risen from the dead, our preaching is empty, your faith is worthless and we are the most retched of people.”
Having just completed our observance of Holy Week, although sadly diminished because of the current crisis, it might surprise some of you to know that the last three days of Holy Week, the Triduum, were considered as one. It might be even more surprising to note that today and the next six weeks are also considered as one, as Easter.Today, in fact every Sunday, celebrates the glory of the Risen Christ. The cross of unspeakable suffering and death has now been transformed into the triumphant cross. It is our constant reminder of Christ’s great love for us and of His total victory over sin and death and His promise to, one day, lift up all of His faithful ones from the darkness of the grave into His own wonderful light. During these difficult times, when some of us have lost loved ones or friends and neighbors, it is important for us to focus on this mystery of our faith and to believe that we will all see them again.In his writings, Saint Paul so eloquently describes to us Jesus’ loving obedience to death on the cross. He hinted at what we celebrate today for “... when He was made perfect, He became the source of eternalsalvation for all who obey Him.”Because of Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father’s will, “God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.”
Through our baptism, we have all shared in the suffering and death of Christ and were transformed into sons and daughters of God. As Christians, it is our firm belief that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we who are also sons and daughters of God, will one day be raised from our graves and experience the newness of life promised by Christ to all who believe in Him, are obedient to His teaching and faithfully take up the cross and follow in His footsteps. Today, as an Easter people we celebrate our belief not just in an empty tomb, but rather, in the Risen Jesus who is Lord and Savior. Because we have been blessed with the vision of faith, we not only believe but boldly proclaim to our community and to the whole world our Easter proclamation, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia!”“We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection until You come again."
Prayerfully In Christ,
Msgr. Emmet Nevin -
Happy Easter from the CardnialHE IS RISEN!A joyous Easter! As we walked through an unexpected Lent, we are also living an unexpected Easter, and for this we rejoice, because we can share in the spirit of the apostles who for many years embraced the dangers that accompanied believing and following Christ. Yet we can also share in the love of God that has always been available to us at no cost, which seeks to renew our lives. Perhaps today is a good day to turn the TV off and take a break from the news, for the good news is that He is risen, and through His resurrection we have eternal life. It is a good time to enjoy the company of our loved ones, and even if we are far away from them, call them to tell them the good news again, “He is risen!”.How amazing the gift of our Lord who victoriously reigns and is sitting with the Father and the Holy Spirit! How glorious the victory of Christ over death, who loved us till he had no more blood to spare. How wonderful the fiat of our Blessed Mother that allowed God’s plan for our salvation to come into reality. How courageous is also our response to God, that we can still praise Him and celebrate this Easter with the same enthusiasm and faith as every other year. Let’s pray for each other and adore our Lord from our homes even though we are not able to visit our parishes yet.Our Church is not closed, but alive and open in our homes, where we celebrate that He is risen. In our homes where families are striving to love each other selflessly, in our streets where people of good will are serving the poor, and faithful first responders are working to ensure our safety, and in our hospitals where our faithful medical officers are tending to the sick, the Church is open. Our Church is active in a way that we may not have seen before in our times. Alleluia. He is Risen, in my home, in your home, in my heart and in your heart.Praised be Jesus Christ. Now and Forever.
¡Ha resucitado!¡Una feliz Pascua! Al haber vivido una Cuaresma inesperada, también estamos viviendo una Pascua inesperada, y por eso nos regocijamos, porque podemos compartir el espíritu de los apóstoles que durante muchos años abrazaron los peligros que acompañaron el creer y seguir a Cristo. Sin embargo, también podemos compartir el amor de Dios que siempre ha estado disponible para nosotros sin costo alguno, que busca renovar nuestras vidas. Quizás hoy sea un buen día para apagar la televisión y tomar un descanso de las noticias, porque la buena noticia es que Él ha resucitado, y a través de su resurrección tenemos vida eterna. Es un buen momento para disfrutar de la compañía de nuestros seres queridos, e incluso si estamos lejos de ellos, llámarlos para contarles la buena noticia nuevamente: "¡Ha resucitado!".Qué asombroso es el don de nuestro Señor que reina victoriosamente y está sentado con el Padre y el Espíritu Santo. Qué gloriosa la victoria de Cristo sobre la muerte, que nos amó hasta que no tuvo más sangre que dar. Qué maravilloso fue el fiat de nuestra Santísima Madre que permitió que el plan de Dios para nuestra salvación se hiciera realidad. Cuán valiente es también nuestra respuesta a Dios, que aún podemos alabarlo y celebrar esta Pascua con el mismo entusiasmo y fe que todos los años. Oremos los unos por los otros y adoremos a nuestro Señor desde nuestros hogares a pesar de que todavía no podemos visitar nuestras parroquias.Nuestra Iglesia no está cerrada, sino viva y abierta en nuestros hogares, donde celebramos que Él ha resucitado. En nuestros hogares donde las familias se esfuerzan por amarse desinteresadamente, en nuestras calles donde las personas de buena voluntad están sirviendo a pobres, y socorristas y bomberos están trabajando fielmente para garantizar nuestra seguridad, y en nuestros hospitales donde nuestros médicos arduamente atienden a los enfermos , la Iglesia está abierta. Nuestra Iglesia está activa de una manera que no habiamos visto antes en nuestros tiempos. Aleluya. Él ha resucitado, en mi hogar, en tu hogar, en mi corazón y en tu corazón. Alabado sea Jesucristo. Ahora y siempre.Acompañenos en la misa de Domingo de Pascua a las 10AM, celebrada por nuestro Cardinal Dolan en la Catedral de San Patricio, ingrese desde aqui .Si quiere hacer de su Domingo de Pascua lo mejor posible, le recomendamos tambien FORMED, una pagina de videos para la familia catolica, desde peliculas hasta charlas formativas. Ingrese desde aqui.
Para misas y recursos en español: aqui -
Lenten Reflections (Arch. NY)
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The "Rules"
LENTEN REGULATIONS FOR CATHOLICS
Time for us to prayerfully consider our spiritual preparations for the season of Lent is upon us. The Lenten Season begins with Ash Wednesday, this year [2020] that is February 26th.
ABSTINENCE forbids the eating of meat. Abstinence obliges from the 14th birthday throughout one’s life. All Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.
FASTING prescribes that only one full meal be taken a day. Two smaller meals may be taken to maintain strength, but these taken together should not equal another full meal. Fasting obliges from the 18th to the 59th birthday.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the two days of Fast AND Abstinence from meat.
There is a serious obligation for Catholics to observe these penitential practices in a substantial way. Those whose work or health would be impaired are excused from fast and abstinence. Individual conscience should decide proper cause for excuse.
Lent, in a very special way, points out that we are pilgrims. For seven weeks we walk with Christ, in response to His invitation, “Let us go up to Jerusalem.” The penances, the fasting and all the other aspects of Lent are the hardships of the journey. -
Mite BoxesTHE HOLY SEASON OF LENT ALMS GIVING
AND MITE BOXES
Over the forty days and forty nights of Lent, please consider depositing some coins and/or cash into the box as an ongoing, conscious Act of Charity on behalf of our needy brothers and sisters right here in Rockland. When you are ready, please bring the box to Mass with you and deposit it into the receptacle located in the lobby of the Church.
“Whatsoever you do for one of these least ones, that you do unto me.”
Please consider incorporating the “Mite Box” into your Lenten Alms giving efforts. All of the parishes in our county have been asked to join together in support of the charitable efforts of Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland (CCCSR). -
Lent, can I get it right this year?Here we go again! Another Lent, another “that time of the year,” where we strive to convert our hearts to God in a deeper way than the Lent before. “Can I get it right this year?” might be question many of us will be asking. And as much as this question denotes a high sense of commitment to this season, it is worth clarifying that Lent is not a solo trip to the desert. Jesus was never alone during his 40 days in the desert. The Father and the Holy Spirit were with him at all times, and the angels as well when the enemy tempted him. This Lent let us invite the three persons of the Trinity to accompany us on this journey. Let’s also spend time in community with our brothers and sister of the Faith, encouraging each other.Perhaps we must reflect on why we are even going into the desert in the first place. What are our Lenten goals? What indulgences are we giving up? Our Lenten sacrifice is meant to sanctify us, to help us break free of what may be keeping us from growing closer to Jesus, and from relying entirely on Him. We must do our best to focus not on ourselves, and our Lenten sacrifice, but on Jesus, whom we are preparing for. In this recognition we will find it is easier to distinguish between giving something up and surrendering something, which by all means requires the grace of God to be accomplished. God sees our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and sheds His grace on us, transforming us. Every Lenten “transformation”, every Lenten conversion is a success. So let’s pray, fast and give alms. Let’s get Lent right this year.
---Archdiocese flocknote