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Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
Pope Leo has asked the global Church to support the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land and maintains the holy sites. Stand in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land as a witness of peace supporting parishes and schools, maintaining Christian shrines and caring for refugees there. It will be the only collection on Good Friday. If you will be out of town for the holiday, please give to this worthy cause next weekend, Palm Sunday.
Volunteers are needed to help serve meals and visit with those in our community that are homeless, March 22 through 26 at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Springfield. Food and monetary donations will be accepted. A signup has been created listing specific requests in today’s bulletin.
Easter Flower Memorials are still available through March 31. Envelopes can be found at the hospitality desk in the vestibule of the church.
Please join us for our Parish Penance Service, Tuesday March 24th beginning at 6:30 PM. We will have 15 visiting priests. There will be limited opportunities leading up to Easter.
The last opportunity for Wednesday evening confession is March 25 at 6:30-8PM. Lenten Soup Suppers are Fridays at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
Adults who, for whatever reason, are catechized but have never received the sacrament of Confirmation are invited to contact the office. Fr. Don will be planning a series of classes during the Easter Season in preparation for Confirmation with Bishop Burbidge on Pentecost Sunday.
All Saints Church Multi-Car Raffle is still in full swing. Four vehicles will be raffled along with a $20,000 cash drawing, plus other cash drawings. The final deadline for ticket returns is April 21th. The drawings begin at 1:00pm Saturday, April 25th at All Saints Parish in Manassas. Please return all tickets by mail directly to All Saints in the envelope provided.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday marks the 5th Sunday of Lent, it is the final week of Lent. As we prepare for Holy Week next week and reflect on Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. We see this in this week's Gospel reading of raising Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating His power over life and death and revealing God's promise of eternal life.
This week we also celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. It is always celebrated on March 25, nine months before the birth of Jesus. It is when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she will be the mother of Jesus Christ. You can teach your children about the Annunciation by watching the video at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0W5Fm0J1UI and teaching your children how to say the Angelus. Creating a Annunciation Prayer Craft is another activity you can do with your kids. https://www.catholicinspired.com/post/annunciation-prayer-craft-easy-color-create
Join us this Sunday, March 22, following the 9am Mass for our Sunday Donut Social! Parents, come enjoy coffee and fellowship while your children make liturgical themed crafts with our volunteers!
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
Sunday Doughnut Social: Mar. 22, Apr. 26
Regular classes: Mar. 24/25, Apr. 14/15, 21/22, 28/29
No classes: Mar. 31, Apr. 1, 7/8
SPRED Classes: Apr. 11, 25
Family Faith Formation: Apr. 26
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, April 7 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
All 9th-12th graders are invited to join us for a live CLUE night on Saturday, April 11 from 6-8:30pm in the Bradican Room! Just like the board game, visit different rooms, talk to other players, and collect clues. Bring your magnifying glass and notepads! Dinner will be included.
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Workcamp - Adult Volunteers Needed! All adults of the parish are invited to consider volunteering for Workcamp. We can find a role for anyone willing to help. We are especially in need of female crew leaders to serve alongside our teens during the week of Workcamp. No construction skills needed; must be 25 or older. Please contact our parish Stakeholder, Matthew Frey, for more information. matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering April 1
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, April 19, 6-8pm in the Bradican Rm. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,
aDear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Last week I spent my entire article on what I think is the most important aspect of your participation at Mass, and perhaps the most overlooked. It is the offering of the gifts to be consecrated. It is bread and wine, and it is also you, your hearts, your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your hopes and dreams. All of it is offered: “Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”
All that follows is built on the integrity of this offering of self, and it needs to be a firm foundation.
The gifts of bread and wine are blessed, based on the barakoth blessing prayers of the Passover meal. We join the heavenly chorus found in scripture of the seraphim angels singing “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.” Then we join the voices of the people as Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.” The Eucharistic Prayer begins.
Two important elements need to be highlight-ed to understand the Eucharistic Prayer. The first is epiclesis (Greek for “calling upon”); the second is anamnesis (Greek for “memorial,” as in the sense of active remembering, bringing a past reality to the present moment).
If you don’t know about these, you may miss the point of the Eucharistic Prayer.
The priest calls the power of the Holy Spirit upon the gifts of bread and wine, they they may become the Body and Blood of our Savior. It is signified by a “laying on of hands,” or the priest holding his hands over the gifts. This gesture is found in most sacraments as signs of blessing for marriage, receiving the Holy Spirit at Confirmation, even the gesture of the priest during the words of absolution during Reconciliation. This epiclesis is the beginning of the consecration of the gifts.
Most people consider the “consecration” to be the words of institution (“this is my Body; this is my Blood to be poured out for the forgiveness of sins”) and the elevation of the host and cup. I had a liturgy teacher in the seminary who had a lot to say about this. He would ask, “When does the consecration end?” “With one of the three memorial acclamations,” someone would say who wasn’t paying attention the last time he asked the question. “No!” he would say. “Jesus became bread and wine for a reason, not a shiny object we would just treasure and admire. He must be consumed! He is food! Consecration doesn’t end until the last person in the church has received the Eucharist.” It is for you all of this happens, not just so that it happens.
As we lift up hearts to actively be present in the moment of this Eucharistic miracle, anamnesis is necessary. This is when your power of the soul, your memory (the other powers are intellect and free will) acts. Through the words of institution, the instrumentality of the priest to provide the Mystery of faith, and your ability to actively recall the saving power of this sacrifice, together we make present again the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary. He is not re-crucified as many people have mistakenly accused the Church of doing. This moment is when we are brought into this eternal moment of the Son of God (not limited to time as if only a man) and are present to him, and he to us. Sacraments are like portals which open the veil between time and eternity and we are suddenly, intimately joined.
The priest announces this moment: “The Mystery of faith.” In our active recalling, we respond with one of three options: “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.”
There is a second epiclesis that is not obvious-ly gestured as in the past, but is still present in all Eucharistic Prayers (except #1, which doesn’t mention the Holy Spirit at all). The priest prays that the reception of this one Body and one cup will gather us all as one in Christ. (I extend my hands in my imagination when I pray these words.)
Once this is done and we proclaim our “Great Amen” at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer (a nice symmetry with the Creed in the Liturgy of the Word), the Lord’s Prayer follows (Jesus’ own words), peace is made (If you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, first go and be reconciled with him, then come and offer your gift...”), the bread is broken and distributed. You have become what you receive, and now are sent to share what you have found with the world.
The Lord be with you,
Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
Our monthly Taizé Prayer Service is this Monday evening at 8pm. Please join us for a peaceful moment of simple song, silence and prayer for unity.
Please join us for our Parish Penance Service, Tuesday March 24th beginning at 6:30 PM. We will have 15 visiting priests. There will be limited opportunities leading up to Easter.
We have additional Wednesday evening confessions Wednesdays, Mar 18 and 25, from 6:30-8PM. Lenten Soup Suppers are Fridays at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
Join us Saturday, March 21, 10am-2pm to help spruce up the church in preparation for Easter. Many hands make light work. Please visit the signup opportunities for opportunities https://signup.com/go/BnogGhO
Volunteers are needed to help serve meals and visit with those in our community that are homeless, March 22 through 26 at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Springfield. Food and monetary donations will be accepted. A signup has been created listing specific requests in today’s bulletin.
All women are invited to a Lenten Night of Reflection with a special talk given by Bea Frey. Saturday, March 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Saint Bernadette School Gym. Invite a friend to join us. Registration is not required but helpful at: https://forms.gle/QrkMVJmawkrPXLXCA.
There are two containers of river stones near the altar. Your Lenten assignment is to choose a person you know that has left the Church or is no longer practicing their faith. Invite them to come back and tell them the parish is praying for them. As a sign of your prayer, take a stone and place it near the altar. We will see the field of stones grow over the season of Lent, and will be reminded, all of us, to pray for these people during this powerful season.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday marks the 4th Sunday of Lent, we're halfway through to Easter. This week we celebrate two feast days, St. Patrick's Day (March 17) and the Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19). Though St. Patrick's Day was a religious feast day in Ireland, Irish immigrants transformed it into a secular celebration and holiday in the United States. To teach your children about St. Patrick, focus more on the saint and shamrocks than leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Did you know that St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach the people of Ireland about the Holy Trinity. You can find other activity suggestions here:https://www.reallifeathome.com/5-ways-to-celebrate-st-patricks-day/.
The solemnity of St. Joseph occurs on March 19. It is one of the highest-ranking feast in the liturgical calendar. We honor St. Joseph's role as the spouse of the Virgin Mary and Jesus' foster father. He faithfully fulfilled the duties that was entrusted to him by God to protect and care for the Holy Family and his obedience in God's plan of salvation. St. Joseph, Pray for Us! You can find activities you can do with your children to celebrate the solemnity here: https://thekennedyadventures.com/celebrate-saint-joseph/
Join us next Sunday, March 22, following the 9am Mass for our Sunday Donut Social! Parents, come enjoy coffee and fellowship while your children make liturgical themed crafts with our volunteers!
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
Regular classes: Mar. 17-18, 24-25
SPRED Class: Mar. 21
Sunday Donut Social: Mar. 22
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, March 17 are our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Our next monthly meeting will be a Tea Party on Sunday, March 15 at 3pm in the Bradican Rm. Sign up for this special event is required. Go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F45A4AB2DA1FB6-62466730-its#/ to reserve your seat or to volunteer to bring goodies. Bring your favorite tea cup and the story that goes with it.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
All 9th-12th graders are invited to join us for a live CLUE night on Saturday, April 11 from 6-8:30pm in the Bradican Room! Just like the board game, visit different rooms, talk to other players, and collect clues. Bring your magnifying glass and notepads! Dinner will be included.
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Workcamp - Adult Volunteers Needed! All adults of the parish are invited to consider volunteering for Workcamp. We can find a role for anyone willing to help. We are especially in need of female crew leaders to serve alongside our teens during the week of Workcamp. No construction skills needed; must be 25 or older. Please contact our parish Stakeholder, Matthew Frey, for more information. matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering March 18
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, April 19, 6-8pm in the Bradican Rm. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Like the introductory rites of the Mass (see last week’s bulletin), The “offertory” or Presentation and Preparation of the Gifts is much more than a “halftime” in the Mass where people can zone out. This is one of your most active times of participation. Excerpts from the text follow:
The offering of bread and wine in the Mass has deep roots in Scripture. In addition to being used in the Passover of Jesus’ day and in the Last Supper, bread and wine were offered up regularly in Israel’s sacrificial rites. Consider the symbolism of bread and wine and what it would have meant to offer these gifts to God. In the Bible, bread was not merely a side dish to a meal as it is in most Western societies today. For the ancient Israelites, bread was the most basic type of food, seen as necessary to sustain life. In fact, the expression “to eat bread” describes simply eating in general.
The Israelites were called to give up some of their bread in the regular offerings and sacrifices and in the annual Feast of Weeks ceremony. To part with one’s bread would have been a personal sacrifice, expressing the individual’s giving of himself to God.
Similarly, wine was not just a side beverage but a common part of ancient Israelite meals. It was often consumed with bread and was served at feasts and for guests. Yet like bread, wine was also offered up in Israel’s sacrifices. It was one of the first fruits presented to the Temple as a tithe, and it was poured out as a drink offering (a libation) in Israel’s thanksgiving and atonement sacrifices. Since there was a close connection between the sacrificial gifts and the individual giver, offering bread and wine symbolized the offering of one’s self.
The same is true with the presentation of our gifts in the Mass today. In the bread and wine, we offer back to God the gifts of creation and the result of our labors—or, as the prayer in the Mass calls them, “fruit of the earth and work of human hands.” Ultimately, the rite symbolizes our giving of our entire lives to God in the offering of bread and wine. As one commentator noted, “There is no scrap of bread which does not call to mind the hard work of plowing and sowing, the moist brow of the reaper, the weariness of the arms which have threshed and milled the wheat, and the labor of the baker who kneaded the dough close to the scorching oven.” The same could be said of the wine, which comes from the grapes harvested from vines that had been carefully tended throughout the year.
More Than Money
The practice of giving money (which eventually overshadowed the offering of oil, fruit, and other sundry gifts) can be seen in the same light. Putting money in the basket is not simply a contribution to some good cause. It, too, expresses the giving of our lives to God. Our money embodies hours of our lives and hard work, which we now offer to God during Mass in the presentation of the gifts.
Yet some Christians might wonder, “Why does God need our gifts? He sent his Son to die for our sins. Why does he need our meager sacrifices of bread, wine, and money?” Ultimately, God does not need these things. Lacking nothing, God is God with or without our gifts. But we need to offer these gifts. We need to grow in self-giving love, and this is one reason why he invites us to unite our lives to him in this way. These small offerings help us expand our hearts and grow in sacrificial love. Moreover, though they do not count for much on their own, what gives them immense value is the love we put into them and the fact that we unite our meager gifts with Christ’s perfect sacrifice. In the presentation of the gifts, it is as if we bring our entire lives and all our little sacrifices (which are symbolized by the gifts) to the hands of Jesus himself (who is represented by the priest). The priest then brings our gifts to the altar, which is the place where Christ’s sacrifice is made present, in order to express our union with Christ’s offering to the Father.
From the perspective of Jesus’ Beatitudes, he receives our poverty, our sorrow and grief, our powerlessness, our thirst for justice and righteousness, as well as our purity of heart, our desire to make peace -- even our persecution for his Name’s sake -- and transforms all of it, along with the bread and wine, into the Body of Christ and beatitude (blessing). We sing a song at the offertory procession to unite us in this most important and most basic moment of our human work, liturgia, turning our very selves over to God to consecrate us, and transform us in the sharing of Holy Communion.
The Lord be with you,
Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
Bishop’s Lenten Appeal. We’re at 71% with 477 pledges. Just drop your pledge envelopes in the basket at Mass or at the office, or visit www.arlingtondiocese.org/BLA Please indicate you are a parishioner here and it will count toward our parish goal of $582,000.
Come one, Come all! Saturday, March 21 10am-2pm. Please come help spruce up the church in preparation for Easter. Many hands make light work. We will be working on pews, floors around the pews, candle areas, altar, and choir loft.
https://signup.com/go/BnogGhO
Additional Wednesday evening confessions during Lent begin this Wednesday from 6:30-8PM.
Lenten Soup Suppers are every Friday in Lent at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
The Knights of Columbus Springfield Council 6153 is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner/Trivia Contest Saturday, March 14 in the school cafeteria. Dinner is from 6–7:30pm followed by trivia until 9pm.
All women are invited to a Lenten Night of Reflection with a special talk given by Bea Frey. Saturday, March 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Saint Bernadette School Gym. Invite a friend to join us. Registration is not required but helpful at: https://forms.gle/QrkMVJmawkrPXLXCA.
There are two containers of river stones near the altar. Your Lenten assignment is to choose a person you know that has left the Church or is no longer practicing their faith. Invite them to come back and tell them the parish is praying for them. As a sign of your prayer, take a stone and place it near the altar. We will see the field of stones grow over the season of Lent, and will be reminded, all of us, to pray for these people during this powerful season.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of Lent. During Lent, we are asked to pray, fast, and give (almsgiving). Almsgiving is defined as giving your time, talent or treasure for those in need as an act of charity and justice for the love of Christ. Such acts include the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. You can find examples of the three marks of Lent here: https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/2025/02/using-corporal-spiritual-works-of-mercy.html. There are also suggestions of Works of Mercy here: https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/2016/02/from-kids-for-kids-practical-ideas-for.html
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
Family Mass Learning: Mar. 7 - 8
Regular classes: every week in March
SPRED Class: Mar. 21
Family Mass Learning: Mar. 8
Sunday Donut Social: Mar. 22
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, March 3 & 17 are our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Our next monthly meeting will be a Tea Party on Sunday, March 15 at 3pm in the Bradican Rm. Sign up for this special event is required. Go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F45A4AB2DA1FB6-62466730-its#/ to reserve your seat or to volunteer to bring goodies. Bring your favorite tea cup and the story that goes with it.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Workcamp - Adult Volunteers Needed! All adults of the parish are invited to consider volunteering for Workcamp. We can find a role for anyone willing to help. We are especially in need of female crew leaders to serve alongside our teens during the week of Workcamp. No construction skills needed; must be 25 or older. Please contact our parish Stakeholder, Matthew Frey, for more information. matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering March 18
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, April 19, 6-8pm in the Bradican Rm. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Our Lenten small group/self study continues this week using Session Three, The Liturgy of the Word, from A Biblical Walk through the Mass by Edward Sri.
How do you hear Sacred Scripture? Are they texts about God, or is God actually speaking to you? The Liturgy of the Word is more than a Bible study, it’s a personal encounter. Divine listening is not about learning, or even just hearing something new. It’s about encountering. It requires some preparation actively engaging in the Introductory Rites (see last week). The lector lends his voice.
This is what is unique about the Judeo-Christian legacy. In only these religions does God speak – we can hear him, we reply – God hears us, and responds to our words.
Synagogue worship developed out of this unique, active conversation. Communication is like communion. Even in Jesus’ time, there is evidence of a three-year cycle of readings.
God speaks first in the Old Testament (First Reading). We respond with “Thanks,” and a Psalm (should be sung when possible) also from the Old Testament. God speaks again, this time from the New Testament. We respond with “Thanks” and a Gospel verse and acclamation (alleluia! if not Lent). Then we hear the definitive revelation of Jesus in Gospel. The homily explains the Gospel. “I believe,” our profession of faith is the answer, and we entrust our needs to God in the Prayers of the Faithful.
The sacred hymns that are the Psalms are often referred to as “Jesus’ prayerbook.” He prays them often, especially when he cries out to the Father.
The New Testament did not suddenly appear out of nowhere. It is growth, informed by the past, moving forward with the breath of the Holy Spirit. Like the Easter Vigil when in seven First Readings we hear the story of salvation from Genesis to Jesus, there is a “historic” movement forward. Reaching its pinnacle in the Gospel, we hear the Words of God himself in Christ, we stand (the posture of deep reverence), we process with the Book of the Gospels, when we have enough servers, we use candles at the altar of the Word, the ambo, like we do at the altar of Jesus’ offering of himself to the Father. The proclamation of the Gospel, therefore, makes Jesus himself present to us in a profound way.
The readings from Scripture also correspond to the various seasons and feasts of the Church. On one level, the Church walks us through the life and mission of Jesus through the seasons of the liturgical year. In the four weeks of Advent, we recall the Old Testament period of humanity’s longing for the Savior. In the Christmas season, we rejoice in the birth of the Son of God who came to dwell among us. In the forty days of Lent, we participate in Jesus’ prayer and fasting in the desert as we prepare to enter Christ’s passion in Holy Week. In the fifty days of the Easter season, we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant resurrection and ascension into heaven, culminating on the fiftieth day with his sending of the Spirit on Pentecost. The rest of the liturgical year—known as Ordinary Time—focuses our attention on the public ministry of Jesus.
Because we are human and cannot fully grasp the entire mystery of Christ at once, it unfolds for us throughout the year. This is one reason why the Church marks off special days to give attention, thanks, and praise for a particular Mystery of Jesus’ life or a specific doctrine of the Catholic Faith.
The word homily means “explanation” in Greek, and its purpose is to help the assembly understand more fully the readings we have heard. In the early Church, the bishop typically was the one who celebrated Sunday Mass and gave the homily. Sometimes people use the word “sermon,” which means simply a talk that might be on any subject the speaker chooses. The liturgical reforms of Vatican II declared that the homily must be in service to the Gospel which has just been proclaimed.
After all of this our response is a powerful reaffirmation of our faith in this God who has revealed himself to us in his own words, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Nicene Creed, whose 1,700th anniversary we observed last year, is the universal faith of the Church, and touches on all the points which we must believe and embrace as Christians. It is a renewal of our baptismal identity, said together in community, a sign of our faith and unity in the Trinity. All is tied together nicely as we include in the Creed “in accordance with the Scriptures,” and “who has spoken through the prophets.” The new is the fulfillment of what came before.
The Lord be with you,
Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
40 Hours and Parish Lenten Mission
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Sunday–Tuesday, March 1-3. Begins with 5pm Mass Sunday followed by adoration and mission talks by Christopher White, American journalist and analyst, known for his extensive coverage of the Vatican and Catholic Church Life at 6:15pm. Additional Masses on Monday and Tuesday evening at 6:30pm followed by Lenten Mission talks at 7:30pm. Close of 40 Hours with Benediction, Tuesday night after the talk.
Bishop’s Lenten Appeal. We’re at 69% with 448 pledges. Just drop your pledge envelopes in the basket at Mass or at the office, or visit www.arlingtondiocese.org/BLA Please indicate you are a parishioner here and it will count toward our parish goal of $582,000.
Our 40 hours Eucharistic Adoration begins this Sunday. Two people are needed for adoration round the clock from Sunday evening through Tuesday evening. The sign-in-sheet for Adoration is in the vestibule. Parish mission talks will follow the 5 PM Sunday Mass and after additional Masses at 6:30 PM on Monday and Tuesday. See the bulletin for details.
Additional Wednesday evening confessions during Lent begin this Wednesday from 6:30-8PM.
Lenten Soup Suppers are every Friday in Lent at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
The Knights of Columbus Springfield Council 6153 is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner/Trivia Contest Saturday, March 14 in the school cafeteria. Dinner is from 6–7:30pm followed by trivia until 9pm.
All women are invited to a Lenten Night of Reflection with a special talk given by Bea Frey. Saturday, March 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Saint Bernadette School Gym. Invite a friend to join us. Registration is not required but helpful at: https://forms.gle/QrkMVJmawkrPXLXCA.
There are two containers of river stones near the altar. Your Lenten assignment is to choose a person you know that has left the Church or is no longer practicing their faith. Invite them to come back and tell them the parish is praying for them. As a sign of your prayer, take a stone and place it near the altar. We will see the field of stones grow over the season of Lent, and will be reminded, all of us, to pray for these people during this powerful season.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday’s Gospel reading is about The Transfiguration of Jesus. It is the very moment when Jesus reveals his divine glory to his disciples; Peter, James and John. His face became bright and his clothes dazzling white and he was in conversation with Moses and Elijah. You can watch the story with your children here: https://youtu.be/KfT5mInsr9A. You can find tips with explaining the Transfiguration here: https://youtu.be/ynMjc2bMzLY.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
Family Faith Formation: Mar. 1
Regular classes: every week in March
SPRED Classes: Mar. 7 & 21
Family Mass Learning: Mar. 8
Sunday Donut Social: Mar. 22
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, March 3 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Our next monthly meeting will be a Tea Party on Sunday, March 15 at 3pm in the Bradican Rm. Sign up for this special event is required. Go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F45A4AB2DA1FB6-62466730-its#/ to reserve your seat or to volunteer to bring goodies. Bring your favorite tea cup and the story that goes with it.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, fellowship, and adoration with praise and worship on Saturday, February 21. Meet in the Bradican Room from 6-8:30pm!
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Workcamp - Adult Volunteers Needed! All adults of the parish are invited to consider volunteering for Workcamp. We can find a role for anyone willing to help. We are especially in need of female crew leaders to serve alongside our teens during the week of Workcamp. No construction skills needed; must be 25 or older. Please contact our parish Stakeholder, Matthew Frey, for more information. matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering March 4
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, March 8, 6-8pm in the Bradican Rm. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Our Lenten small group/self study begins this week using Session Two, The Introductory Rites, from A Biblical Walk through the Mass by Edward Sri.
Of course, the two major movements of the Mass are the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. They are preceded with introductory rites as well as followed by concluding rites.
The first thing I want to say is that, although they are not as vital as the two central parts of the Mass, they are still vital and should be emphasized because they matter. If we don’t understand them, people will continue to come late and leave early because they think these rites don’t matter. It is striking, and troubling, how most people come to Mass late, and leave early -- not only in our parish.
In Session Two, Edward Sri has some interesting insights into Old Testament origins for many of these gestures, listed at the left. I thought I would share with you what I think are the most important takeaways.
First, what he doesn’t mention. An integral part of the introductory rites, though more of an element that evolved over the centuries (like the penitential rite itself), is the gathering hymn or song. Imagine a time when people walked to their neighborhood church. As they gathered, they sang. Procession is always an outward sign of community. They would come together at the door of the church, and the Mass would begin with the greeting and the collect. Ministers of the Mass process, and the assembly sings.
The sign of the cross. The book makes some reference to Old Testament types (Ezekiel 8), but I think the most important reflection is personal. Before the start of the Mass, you have already signed yourself with holy water “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The baptismal water reminds us of our baptismal identity, and we literally announce ourselves as we enter the sacred space of the church. Sri says we call upon God’s name at this moment, which may be central to his spirituality, but at the moment of my baptism the priest didn’t say to me, “I baptize you in the name of Don.” Rather, my name is literally Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At the moment the Mass begins, we all say it together, a powerful sign of unity and our identity which is found in God.
Then we call to mind our sins. We reflect in a silent examination of conscience in order to prepare for the coming rites in which we listen to God’s Word and receive his Holy Communion with pure hearts. The “I confess” is an act of contrition, like you do in the sacrament of reconciliation. The Church teaches us that venial sins may be forgiven by an act of contrition or an act of charity. So this is how we prepare for Communion: if you are conscious of mortal sin, you must first go to confession, receive absolution, and do the penance prescribed. Do you see why it is so important that everyone be present for this introductory rite?
I have been told that former versions of the Mass had a lot in common with Eastern Rite churches in the multiplication of elements. For example in the former Latin Mass the priest made the sign of the cross 52 times. It is common in the East to say Lord, have mercy seven times, seven times (real fast). Edward Sri applies a trinitarian interpretation to the three times we say it. That may be so, but I like his explanation of mercy (hesed) better. Mercy is not something that a higher, more important person bestows on a lower. It is the covenantal love with which one embraces another out of unconditional commitment.
We suddenly turn from our sorrow for sin to the joy of the gloria. Glory to God in the highest! We sing with the angels who used these words at the birth Jesus, now looking ahead to his coming at Mass, as well as the “Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” the words of praise as Jesus enters the holy city on Palm Sunday. The sacrifice is near... It is a striking juxtaposition of events in our story of salvation, placed here as a foreshadowing of the Mystery about to come.
Finally, the introductory rites end with the opening prayer of the Mass, called the Collect. Here is how this is supposed to work. The priest calls us to prayer: “Let us pray.” There is a pause. This is when you call to mind your intentions for this Mass. Who do you wish to lift up to God? What do you ask on their behalf? What is it you ask of God on behalf of our broken world, the great suffering of peoples, the great need? You include your intentions in silence, and the priest then collects all of them, wrapping them up in the thematic prayer of the day.
The Lord be with you,
Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
40 Hours and Parish Lenten Mission
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Sunday–Tuesday, March 1-3. Begins with 5pm Mass Sunday followed by adoration and mission talks by Christopher White, American journalist and analyst, known for his extensive coverage of the Vatican and Catholic Church Life at 6:15pm. Additional Masses on Monday and Tuesday evening at 6:30pm followed by Lenten Mission talks at 7:30pm. Close of 40 Hours with Benediction, Tuesday night after the talk.
Bishop’s Lenten Appeal. We’re at 69% with 448 pledges. Just drop your pledge envelopes in the basket at Mass or at the office, or visit www.arlingtondiocese.org/BLA Please indicate you are a parishioner here and it will count toward our parish goal of $582,000.
Our 40 hours Eucharistic Adoration begins next Sunday. Two people are needed for adoration round the clock from Sunday evening through Tuesday evening. The sign-in-sheet for Adoration is in the vestibule. Parish mission talks will follow the 5 PM Sunday Mass and after additional Masses at 6:30 PM on Monday and Tuesday. See the bulletin for details.
Additional Wednesday evening confessions during Lent begin this Wednesday from 6:30-8PM.
Lenten Soup Suppers are every Friday in Lent at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
All women are invited to a Lenten Night of Reflection with a special talk given by Bea Fry. Saturday, March 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Saint Bernadette School Gym. Invite a friend to join us. See next week’s bulletin for more information.
This weekend there are two containers of river stones near the altar. Your Lenten assignment is to choose a person you know that has left the Church or is no longer practicing their faith. Invite them to come back and tell them the parish is praying for them. As a sign of your prayer, take a stone and place it near the altar. We will see the field of stones grow over the season of Lent, and will be reminded, all of us, to pray for these people during this powerful season.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday marks the First Sunday of Lent. A good way to teach your children the true meaning of Lent is by praying or attending the Stations of the Cross at St. Bernadette. They can walk with Jesus from His condemnation by Pilate, through his suffering and sacrifice. This can help them understand that every Sunday Mass is a “mini-Easter” with Jesus’ sacrifice and his true presence in the Eucharist. You can find the Stations of the Cross activities here: https://www.catholicicing.com/stations-of-the-cross-for-kids/ or Lent activities here: https://www.looktohimandberadiant.com/2025/02/allllllll-all-about-lent-holy-week.html
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Join us this Sunday, February 22, following the 9am Mass for our Sunday Donut Social! Parents, come enjoy coffee and fellowship while your children make liturgical themed crafts with our volunteers!
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
SPRED Classes: Feb. 21, Mar. 7 & 21
No RE Class: Feb. 17/18
Regular classes: Feb. 24/25, Mar. 3/4, 10/11
Family Faith Formation: Mar. 1
Family Mass Learning: Mar. 8
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, March 3 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, fellowship, and adoration with praise and worship on Saturday, February 21. Meet in the Bradican Room from 6-8:30pm!
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Work Camp 2026 registration is open: Please visit our website to register for Work Camp. Contact Matthew Frey matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com or JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
NEW DATE / Registration has re-opened: All highschoolers are welcome to an overnight retreat at Summit Lake in Emmitsburg, MD, March 13-Sunday, March 15. We are in collaboration with the youth ministries of St. Leo’s and Our Lady of Good Counsel. Registration has opened. Please visit our website to register for the retreat.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering March 4
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, March 8, 6-8pm in the Bradican Room. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Our Lenten small group/self study begins this week using Session One from A Biblical Walk through the Mass by Edward Sri.
His first session on the Mass has to do with the historical and religious underpinnings of Judaism. You can’t really look at the New Testament if you don’t use a filter of the Hebrew Scriptures, because the New Testament world and their understanding of God didn’t suddenly just appear; they grew out of a rich context of a long, often troubled relationship of a people with their God. If you don’t recognize the sacred significance of ritual sacrifice and ritual meal in the time before Jesus, you will not grasp the literal and deliberate actions he took and what they meant.
He gave a thorough catechesis to his disciples and followers to prepare them for what was to come. At the time it often seems like people weren’t paying attention, but looking back from our time we can see the methodical way in which Jesus was preparing his followers for the unfolding of his passion, death and resurrection.
His bread of life discourse is, even for us today, a lot to take in, and would have been absolutely unacceptable at the time of Jesus. If you do not eat the flesh (literally, gnaw on) of the Son of Man and drink his blood you will not have life in you ... my flesh is real food and my blood, real drink. It says that after that, most of Jesus followers couldn’t continue following him. The message was that important, that this is his real presence.
In account after account in the Old Testament, the strict instructions/laws given to Moses by God about the Passover were to be followed to the letter. God’s instructions. On the night that the tenth and final plague was to happen and the first born male of every family and stable was to be struck down, there was only one way that the angel of death would pass over their houses. A strict ritual was to be followed in sacrificing a lamb without blemish, its blood was to be reserved and painted on the posts and lintel of their doorways. This was the sign by which the angel of death would pass over. Inside, the Passover meal was being eaten with care: certain ingredients which signified various aspects of their history and covenant with God. The Passover meal at every house was exactly the same, and eaten with your boots on and your staff in hand, as if you were a people ready to flee at a moment’s notice.
That moment at Jesus’ Last Supper was a confluence of everything that came before and after. First of all he, God, was the author of Passover. He chose this moment to reveal the purpose of his suffering and crucifixion the following day.
Could the author of the Passover have forgotten the lamb of sacrifice? There was no lamb. Do you think the apostles were troubled by this? At the point of the meal when the lamb is offered around the table, Jesus says take this and eat it: this is my Body, which will be given up for you. And, likewise, this is the cup of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal (not just everlasting) covenant, so that sins may be forgiven.
A new covenant is ratified by the ritual meal intended, as was the Passover, to be an unending observance. Jesus said, do this in memory of me. One of the powers of your soul, memory (the others being intellect and free will), has the active ability to make the past present. The Greek word is anamnesis.
Anamnesis is the word used to describe the fact that, at Mass, we aren’t just remembering what happened at the Last Supper. In the liturgy, Christ’s sacrifice is presented to us in a way that goes above and beyond “remembering.” I have heard it said that his sacrifice is being re-presented. How that is written is important. It isn’t a typo. The dash in “re-presented” assures that we aren’t saying that it is, somehow, a representation of what happened at the Last Supper. Instead, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is offered upon the altar, and we have access to the eternal moment of Calvery, God in time. Jesus, who offered himself up for our sins, is being made present to us. Body, blood, soul, and divinity, Jesus is present in the Eucharist. The Church has always taught that Christ is not re-sacrificed at each Mass, but that we enter into that one moment in history when he was scourged for our offenses and wounded for our sin. Jesus’ death defeated evil’s strongest consequence, death. The new Passover.
“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John the Baptist)
The Lord be with you,