vol 25 no 20
February 26, 2017 - Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time
+ Isaiah 49:14-15 + 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 + Matthew 6:24-34 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm
Mass Intentions:
Sunday | 02.26 | 10:30 am 6:30 pm | For the SAU Community |
Monday | 02.27 | Noon | + Braddock Shovlain |
Tuesday | 02.28 | 4:30 pm | + Larry Weldon, Jr. |
Ash Wednesday | 03.01 | Noon 4:30 pm 9:15 pm | + Fr. Joseph Hartz For Student Intentions |
Thursday | 03.02 | 4:30 pm | + Richard Geiger |
Friday | 03.03 | Noon | Antioch Retreat |
This Week's Activities Include:
Sunday: RCIA 11:30 am (Lower Chapel); Peer Campus Ministers 7:30 pm (Lower Chapel)
Tuesday: Nurses Fellowship 3:30 pm (Gathering Space); Bridge Bible Fellowship (non-denominational) 9 pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Ambrosians for Peace and Justice 8 pm (Lower Chapel); Sacrament of Reconciliation 8:30 pm (Chapel); Mass & More 9:15 pm (Chapel)
Thursday: Music Ministry Rehearsal 6 pm (Chapel)
Campus Ministry Offices - Lower Chapel
333-6132 or ministry@sau.edu
Twitter: @FrChuckAdam
Fr. Chuck Adam, Chaplain
Chris Clow, Director of Music and Liturgy
Kaitlin Depuydt, Director of Service and Social Justice
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Director of Faith Formation
Tom Prior, Grad Assistant
Prayer Ministry - send intentions to BeesKnees@sau.edu.
Sign Up for Campus Ministry Events any time during the year! Go to: http://tinyurl.com/SAUministryinterest16.
Hey, You Got Something on your Forehead!
The unseasonably warm weather this past week broke records for 6 straight days. Since it's still February, we know haven't escaped all of winter just yet. However this Wednesday we start Lent, a season that's name is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word that means Spring. Spiritually it's a time to prepare the soil of our hearts and be prepared for the renewal that comes at Easter. Many people will be asking, "what are you giving up for Lent?" An even better question might be, "what are you doing for Lent?" Or to use "bee" terminology, "what are you Bee-coming?" Do you know what the ashes really mean? They are a public acknowledgement that we are committed to change. They symbolize our desire to become better people. This doesn’t mean that Lent has to be a time of self-inflicted pain and a time of drudgery. Actually, our liturgy calls Lent a season of joy, an opportunity, and a time of grace. But to accept Lent as a gift means to take a good hard look at our lives. Change is never easy, but we are lucky enough at St. Ambrose to have a community of faith to support us and lots of activities to help. Ash Wednesday is our springboard launching into this journey toward a spiritual springtime. Amid the hustle and bustle of college life and never enough time, may we see this 40-day season as a gift and a time of renewal. What a blessing that ash smudge on our foreheads really can be. ---Fr. Chuck
•Ash Wednesday Mass Schedule for Distribution of Ashes - March 1
Ash Wednesday masses with the distribution of ashes will be offered at 12:00pm, 4:30pm and 9:15pm in Christ the King Chapel. Christian churches of many denominations offer the distribution of ashes in the same manner as Catholics do, symbolizing our desire to use the season of Lent to renew our lives of faith. As such, all Christians are welcome to receive ashes at these masses.
•Understanding the Lenten Fast and Abstinence
FASTING: Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting as explained by the U.S. bishops means partaking of only one full meal. Two other smaller meals (not equaling another full meal) are permitted as is drinking of liquids.
ABSTINENCE: Catholics 14 years old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all the Fridays of Lent. Abstinence forbids the use of meat, but not of eggs, milk products or condiments made of animal fat. We are reminded each year that the obligation to do penance on these days is a serious one, but no one should be scrupulous in this regard and if health reasons or the ability to do one’s work is seriously affected, these regulations do not apply.
•LENT @ SAU: Consider these activities as part of your Lenten observance:
→Daily Mass: Monday/Friday at 12 noon; Tuesday/Thursday at 4:30 pm; Wednesday at 9:15 pm.
→Sacrament of Reconciliation: Wednesdays 8:30 - 9 pm. Communal Reconciliation Service: 7pm Tuesday, April 11.
→Stations of the Cross: Booklets for praying the Stations are available under the First Station. Pray with the Stations in the Chapel any time you like.
→Communal Stations Services: Friday, March 24 at 7 pm. Wednesday, April 12 at 8:30 pm with Ambrosians for Peace and Justice.
→Small Faith Sharing Groups: Student-led small groups will meet for one hour every week to read, reflect, discuss, and pray together. Groups will either focus on the Lenten Sunday readings, or on the life and writings of monk and mystic Thomas Merton. Register for a group at https://tinyurl.com/SAULent2017.
→Lenten Prayer Series: Learn and practice different forms of prayer Mondays at 8pm throughout Lent:
March 6 - Eucharistic Adoration; March 20 - Scriptural Rosary; March 27 - Taize;
April 3 - Liturgy of the Hours; April 10 - Eucharistic Adoration
→Operation Rice Bowl: Let your Lent make a difference in the lives of others, and support Catholic Relief Services through the Rice Bowl. It’s simple - 1) pick up a Rice Bowl at Sunday or Ash Wednesday Mass, take it to your room, floor, or home, 2) donate money from your Lenten sacrifices all season long, and 3) bring the Rice Bowl back to the Chapel during Holy Week (April 9-12). Visit crsricebowl.org to learn more, and get the CRS Rice Bowl app for your smartphone!→Lenten Booklets: Booklets for a reflection, activity, and prayer for each day of Lent are made available in Christ the King Chapel and the campus mailroom. Feel free to take a copy of “Becoming Whole, Becoming Holy” by Alice Camille, and pray along throughout Lent.
→Online Stations of the Cross: An online collection of student reflections based upon the stations of the cross, featuring Fr. Edward Catich’s signature artwork. Updated weekly throughout Lent with two additional stations and corresponding reflections each week. See them at http://saustations.blogspot.com.
→Ambrosian Faculty/Staff Reflections: Follow along with the daily readings for Lent with our online SAU Faculty/Staff Reflections. New reflections will be posted at saulent.blogspot.com for every day of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday. If you’d be willing to write one, email Fr. Chuck at adamcharles@sau.edu.
→Fast Fest: Take part in a different fast every week of Lent! Fasts are based on the Corporal Works of Mercy. You can sign up with the Ambrosians for Peace & Justice on Ash Wednesday or Sunday, March 5th, or email ministry@sau.edu.
You can find these and future Lenten activities listed on our website: www.sau.edu/Campus_Ministry/Lent.
•Service on Saturday
This weekend on February 25th from 9:45am-12:15pm, we will work with the Humility of Mary Housing program, preparing an apartment for one of their transitional housing families as they prepare to move in. To join in, email us at ministry@sau.edu.
•Labor Trafficking Presentation: “The Human Thread”
Campus Ministry and Ambrose Women for Social Justice are hosting a presentation by Chris Cox on Labor Trafficking on Thursday, March 2 at 11am-12 noon in the Rogalski Center Ballroom. Chris Cox is the director of The Human Thread campaign which seeks to increase “solidarity between consumers of clothing and the people who produce them,” and to showcase the reality of where cheap clothing comes from, and the human cost of such clothing. Free and open to the public. Learn more at www.humanthreadcampaign.org.
•Confirmation Preparation
Catholic students interested in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Tammy Norcross-Reitzler at ministry@sau.edu. Sessions will be on Thursdays at 5:15 pm beginning March 23rd.
•Themed Housing
The campus ministry staff would be happy to assist students who may be interested in developing a spiritual or social justice theme. Groups of 4 may apply for McCarthy, groups of 5 for Campus Houses and groups of 8 for the Townhouses. The deadline to apply for Themed Housing is March 2nd.
•Upcoming Service Opportunities
Three other service opportunities to consider: One with the Food Hub, serving and bussing tables at their Farm-to-Table Mardi Gras themed dinner on Tuesday Feb 28th from 5:30-8:30pm. Another ongoing opportunity with Manor Care, a nursing home, visiting residents in the afternoons. A third, ongoing opportunity with the River Bend Food Bank to volunteer as an afternoon receptionist in their office. Please contact Kaitlin at ministry@sau.edu for more information.
•You Gotta Prayer?
You can send your prayer requests confidentially online to BeesKnees@sau.edu or write them on the paper provided and place in the wooden box near the Reconciliation Room in the chapel. The collective BeesKnees Prayer ministry members will add their prayer to yours.