From the Pastor’s Desk . . . "Three things sustain faith, devotion and virtue: prayer, fasting and mercy to others." [St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 43]. We are familiar with the basic notion of prayer: asking God for whatever we might need. But there is much more to it.

In order to pray, one needs to at least believe that God exists. The most primitive human being had some natural notion of a supreme being: a force or energy superior to us at least in strength, that holds some influence over our lives and the happenings in the world. In every civilization there has been some attempt to identify, name or give some form to that stronger being. In ancient cultures, these were originally a means to explain natural phenomena. And prayer or sacrifice were means to influence them. People could approach these beings, but never know them; coax or bribe them, but never enter into any relationship with them, for these powers had no concern for us; they cared not whether we lived or died.

Until the true God revealed Himself: to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses; to Sara and Ruth and so many others in the Old Testament: a personal, rational God, who chooses to love. In Christ, that revelation of God came to completion: God loves us so much He became a man who suffered for our offenses. Those He chooses to love are the ones He created in His image and likeness—rational, exercising free will, capable of loving, who would respond in love to the God who gives us life and loves us. Prayer, therefore, becomes something more than non-stop petitions and requests for goods and services, for protection or power. It becomes a means to communicate with the God we love.

God doesn’t want sacrifices: He wants our hearts, our love. And so, we live to please God: words in prayer are insufficient. They must be joined to fasting: a personal spiritual sacrifice that shows our remorse for having offended our gracious God, and is an outward sign that we are serious about what we pray for; and joined to acts of mercy and forgiveness: we who seek mercy must be willing to turn around and exercise that same gift we have received from God. By forgiving those who offend us, or giving to those in need, either form of mercy is essential in that it reveals our desire to be like God now.

Again, St. Peter: "Even though a fasting man cleanse his heart and flesh, root out his vices, and plant virtues in their place, he will have no fruit of his labor if the waters of mercy flow abundantly from his heart. What you give away in mercy will enrich you. Do not lose what you have, then, by clinging to it, but gather up by giving away. In giving to the poor, in forgiving others, you give to yourself, and what you do not give away you will not have."

What have you been doing for Lent? Try daily prayer, fasting and acts of mercy for the next three weeks: pray simply: an Our Father in the morning; raise your mind to God and thank Him during your workday; recite an Act of Contrition before you go to bed. Fast—give up a cup of coffee each day: or, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the two days Christ suffered, give up a meal: try not eating anything before noon: just water or juice or coffee or tea; give to those in need: to a charity, or to a family you know needs help, or try and forgive someone who has hurt you: truly forgive them from the heart.

Prayer, fasting and mercy: three related actions that are the heart of the Christian life. Try them.–Msgr. DiGiovanni

Please pray for those who have recently died… Fouchard Paulemon, Louis Meyer, Phillis Doherty, Violet Roddy, Wallace Stewart, Patrick Farenga, Marie Swanson, Neill Carey, Margorie Watkins, Antoninette DeMott, Rose Harrington, Maria C. Roldan-Ranero, Frances C. Delaney, Mary Anne Vagnone, Bridget Leen, Lou Tosches, John Darling,

Catholic Relief Services Collection . . . Please drop your Catholic Relief Services Collection envelope into the ONE basket that will be passed at the Offertory. There will only be one collection today.

Parents of our Religious Education Students…While your children are in religious education class on Sundays, join us in the Parish Rectory with Father Walsh for a cup of coffee and learn more about our Catholic Faith.

Stations of the Cross . . .Every Friday during Lent at

4:00 p.m. NOT on Good Friday.

Lenten Parish Mission . . . March 3rd, 4th & 5th at 7:30 p.m. with Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Please, plan to attend.

SAVE THE DATES: TWO GREAT EVENTS:

Solemn Vespers and Benediction: Friday, May 30th at

6:30 p.m., to celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of our church in 1886. This will be an annual event, so please plan to join us.

The Latin reading group will begin translating St. Augustine’s Confessions. All are welcome on Wednesday evenings at 6:15 p.m. in the rectory. If you have only studied Latin during high school, please join us: you know more than you think!

Sunday, February 24, 2008 $ 10,568.00

Hymns for this weekend . . . (1) 262 (2) 54. The Creed for the Noon Mass may be found in the hymnal at No. 289.

Lenten Concert . . . A wonderful tradition here at St. John’s has become to observe the fifth Sunday in Lent with a spiritual exercise through the great art of the composer Franz Josef Haydn. Next Sunday, March 9th at 3:00 p.m., the celebrated Arianna String Quartet will perform The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross at 3:00 P.M. One of most highly regarded string quartets of all time and among Haydn’s last and best works, this vivid musical portrait of the crucifixion of Our Lord is narrated by Msgr. DiGiovanni and is only 45 min. in length. There is a free pre-concert lecture by Scott Turkington at 2:30 in Nagle Hall. $10.00 suggested donation. Please come!

Bible Study… Our next meeting is April 17th, 7:30 p.m. in the rectory. We’re reading the Book of Revelation. All are welcome!

March 9, 1904: CATHOLICS’ NEW ORGAN. "The recital to be given in St. John’s R. C. Church, next Wednesday evening, which will be a feature of the dedication of the new organ, promises to be of much interest to all lovers of church music. The recital will be given by J. Frank Nugent, a brother of Miss L. M. Nugent, the organist of the church. Mr. Nugent is one of the best known musicians in church circles in New York. He is organist and choirmaster of St. James’ pro-Cathedral, Brooklyn, and is a talented and skillful performer. The vocal parts of the recital will be rendered by Miss Marie Louise Gehle, contralto, Mrs. Collins and Miss Augusta Gehle, soprano, and W. F. Hooley, basso, all of whom are from New York. The full program has not been arranged yet. Among the well-known compositions to be rendered are Rossini’s "Pro Peccatis"; Dudley Buck’s "Salve Regina"; Pizzi’s "Ave Maria" and selections from Stainer’s "Crucifixion." The new organ is capable of providing a really excellent recital, and the artists who have been engaged are capable of doing full justice to it."

March 5, 1908: AT PRIEST’S FUNERAL – TRIBUTE TO FATHER MULVILLE "The funeral service for Rev. Francis X. Mulville, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, Occum, who died Monday, which was held in St. John’s R. C. Church, this morning, was attended by a representative gathering of priests from this diocese, and by a congregation which quite filled the church. At 10 a.m., the hour announced for the service to begin, the church was crowded, and many came later, who could not find seats. There were delegations present from the Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Holy Name Society and the Elks, the latter order being represented by a large number of members." (The Reverend Francis X. Mulville was a vocation from St. John the Evangelist Parish, Stamford)

March 7, 1913: Catholic Churches and Societies. "The Holy Name Society of St. John’s Catholic Church will receive Holy Communion Sunday, at 7:25 a.m., and will hold a regular monthly meeting in the chapel at 7:30 p.m. Father O’Brien is giving an interesting course of short sermons at St. John’s Catholic Church on Sunday evenings. On last Sunday, he had for his subject "The Catacombs." On Holy Thursday night, the Tenebrae will be held in St. John’s Catholic Church. Seldom is this service held in any church outside the cathedrals. Five years ago it was rendered at St. John’s. There are few of the Holy Week ceremonies of more symbolic interest." (Tenebrae is the name given to the service of Matins and Lauds belonging to the last three days of Holy Week.)

Birthright …needs YOUR Help! Volunteer, please:

Birthright is an emergency pregnancy service offering practical help and encouragement to any woman who is distressed by her pregnancy. Call 1-800-550-4900 for nearest chapter.

Credit Card Offertory…Make weekly or monthly donations by credit card. You can set up recurring credit card donations with the church secretary. She can take your information over the telephone. Call 324-1553 x21.

Holy Name Society . . . for all men of the parish, meets in the rectory every Friday morning for coffee, Eucharistic adoration benediction & prayer, from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. Just walk in the rectory front door.

Pray for an end to abortion every Wed. 7:00 -10:30 a.m., Planned Parenthood, 1039 East Main St, Stamford.

Eucharistic Adoration: Fridays, 8:30 a.m.–12:00 noon

Are you a registered parishioner? … If not, please visit the parish office Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or call the office for more information [ext 21 or 17].

Sponsor Certificates for Baptism or Confirmation Sponsors…are happily given to parishioners of St. John’s, i.e. those whose regular Mass attendance is known to the priests or can be verified by the records of the weekly offertory (envelopes).

St. Maria Goretti Society…For the spiritual formation of girls from 9th - 12th grades meets monthly in the Rectory. For more information, please call Rosa Marchetti at 348-023.

St. Dominic Savio Society…For the spiritual formation of boys from 8th – 12th grades meets monthly in the Rectory. Any questions, please contact Frank Marchetti at 434-4734.

-Fr. Terry Walsh

Imagine your soul to be a beautiful round disk, perhaps in the shape of the Sun. At Baptism, your "disk" might be the size of a pea, or perhaps a tiny little seed. Throughout the course of your life, as you "choose" life, that is, as you choose to walk in the Light of Christ, seeking His grace (especially through faithful reception of the Sacraments, daily prayer, and ‘living’ the Gospel), that little light, your "soul" - grows brighter and brighter. It is the Light of Christ; He has invited us to share in His Light, the Divine Life – the Life of Grace – which sanctifies us. In His Light, the Scriptures teach us, we "see" Light. We begin to understand with ever-greater clarity what is true and pure and beautiful, and our hearts, which are naturally inclined for the good, the true, the pure, the beautiful, become more firmly intent on adhering to Christ. The "little" light in us begins to sort of pulsate outward – it grows. The Light informs our conscience – we know when we’re on the right path and when we’ve strayed. We know when we’re making an honest effort to grow in the Light and when we’ve settled for a sort of mediocre gait. We know. Now, as the Light grows in us, Jesus draws others into the Light through us. In effect, we are cooperating with Him in the salvation of souls. His graces are without measure. We simply need to expand the capacity of our souls to receive Him (Faithfulness to prayer, Sacraments, and ‘living’ the Gospel). What a life we’re called to share with Him! What a joy it will be when He reveals to us the effects of our prayer and our faithful witness to the Gospel demonstrated through the love with which we carried out the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives. And how critically important it is then to make every effort to allow His Light to emanate brightly. So what blocks that light? What is it that impedes the gifts He has poured into our hearts from being cultivated and used for the good of others? The short answer of course is sin. How often do we allow pride, anger, or some other shield to eclipse the Light of Christ? He dwells within us and thirsts for our faithful cooperation – our love – to build up the Mystical Body – to understand more clearly the gifts He has given each of us and to develop, nurture, and appreciate those tremendous gifts for the salvation and sanctification of souls, beginning with our own. Humbly ask for the grace to accomplish this task, this mission, which we call Discipleship. Once again, we say, "Lord, heal me of (whatever shield I have – pride, anger, etc) so that you may draw others to yourself – through my cooperation with you – that is, through my love for you – through my thanks for what you have done for me – what you do for me every day. It is a heavy shield Lord – I have put it there through human weakness – but you can remove it through your grace. Give me the grace I need so that I can satisfy your thirst.

John Henry Cardinal Newman beautifully prayed:

"Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess our whole being, so utterly, that our lives may be only a radiance of yours. Shine through us, and be so in us, that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. Let them look up and see no longer us but only Jesus! Stay with us, and then we will begin to shine as you shine; so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus, will be all from you; none of it will be ours; it will be you, shining on those around us. Let us preach you without preaching, not by words but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you." What a beautiful prayer to offer before receiving Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, in Holy Eucharist.