Lenten Prayer & Activity Packets are now available here on the parish website at Lenten Packet.

The packets contain Lenten activities for adults and children and also daily prayer meditaions.

In addition to our weekly opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our parish will have two Penance Services during lent:

• Wednesday, March 10th from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the church. Many priests will be available to provide the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
• Friday, March 19th starting at 7:00 p.m. in the church. A Prayer Service will start the evening. Many priests will be available after to provide the Sacrament of Reconcilation.
• Weekly opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation are available on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m. and Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. and 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.
• Appointments can also be made by calling the parish office at 512-258-1161.

Penance Services offered at our neighboring parishes in Lent are listed below:

• March 4th – 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart.
• March 13th – 1:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart (Spanish).
• March 16th – 7:00 p.m. at St. Albert the Great.
• March 22nd – 7:00 p.m. at St. Margaret Mary & St. Vincent de Paul
• March 23rd – 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at St. Louis
• March 25th – 7:00 p.m. at St. Louis (Spanish)
• March 29th – 7:00 p.m. at St. Theresa

Join us for the kick-off of Communitas, a new ministry at STM. Our initial six-week program beginning on April 8th, 2010, will offer facilitated small group sessions of scripture readings, faith sharing, fellowship and fun.

Communitas at a Glance:
What: Group of 8 to 10 people that meets regularly to reflect on our lives through prayer, faith sharing, study, friendship and encouragement.

Why: To respond to Pope John Paul II’s call to strengthen the larger church by deepening our relationship to Christ and one another.

Where: In a private home or at church, depending on the preference of the group.

Kick-Off: Thursday, April 8, 2010, 6:45 p.m. in the Family Center (meet your group, pick up materials). First study: Acts of the Apostles.

Cost: Only $5.00! Cash or check collected at the kick-off meeting.

Register now for a Communitas small group! Click here to Register or Contact:

Cindy Galvin                    Nancy Burris
736-0582                        219-1978
cgalvin@sbcglobal.net           nancyburris@att.net

…

Below is a listing of upcoming events in the Austin Diocese. This list was updated on March 5th, 2010.

Forty Days For Life: The Austin Coalition for Life is a community-based, grassroots pro-life organization made up of local volunteers dedicated to ending abortion peacefully & prayerfully in Austin. From February 17th to March 28th, Austin will unite with 156 cities across the country and world for a simultaneous 40 day prayer vigil. 40 Days of: prayer & fasting, community outreach, and constant peaceful vigils.

Contacts: Rebecca or Ted McDonald at rebecca@mclawaustin.com or call 925-3973 or 450-0803. Also, visit the website: www.austincoalitionforlife.com

Upcoming Events at CedarBrake Retreat Center:

A Lenten Experience through the Eyes of St. Ignatius, a day of reflection, will be presented March 6th. Sister Digna Vela of Victoria will lead participants in reflecting on Scripture using the Ignatian method. The cost is $30 (includes lunch).

Open the Door: A Journey to the True Self, a day of reflection, will be held March 25th. The day will be based on Joyce Rupp’s book “Open the Door,” which uses the images of a door as an invitation to deepen our awareness and relationship with God. The cost is $30 (includes lunch).

Holy Week Retreat: Join us for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday on April 1st thru 3rd. Our retreat will begin on Thursday evening with Liturgy and conclude on Holy Saturday Morning. Stations of the Cross, Reconciliation, and a guided meditation will be a part of this retreat experience. The cost is $165 for a private room and $135 for a double. Brian Egan, Beverly Collin and Fr. Angelo Bertini will be the presenters.

Contact: (254) 780-2436 or cedarbrake@austindiocese.org.

A Free Caregiver Seminar will take place at The AGE Caregiver Resource Center on Saturday, March 6th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Join us to hear a panel of experts discuss options for respite care including in-home care, faith-based respite programs, adult day programs, and short-term residential facilities.

Contact: Bruce Kravitz at bkravitz@ageofaustin.org or 512-451-4611.

Eucharistic Rosary & Benediction for the Year of the Priest: St. John Vianny Parish in Round Rock will host a Rosary and Benediction on Saturday, March 6th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. The presider will be Bishop-Elect Michael Mulvey. Reverend Kevin Rai has developed special mysteries of the rosary for this event. All are welcomed to attend and to pray for our priests and for vocations to the priesthood.

Contact: RSVP at (512) 218-1183.

Monthly Prayer Vigil on March 20th: The Austin Prayer Vigil is scheduled for Saturday, March 20th, at St. Helen in Georgetown. Mass will begin at 7:00 a.m., followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Then a car caravan will travel to Whole Woman’s Health of Austin where the Mysteries of the Rosary will be prayed at the site. Benediction will follow St. Helen at 10:30 a.m.

Contact: 512-949-2486..

The 5th Annual Catholic Men’s Conference will take place on Saturday, March 20th in San Antonio. The Conference will focus on Catholic Relationships, the Holy Spirit, the Eucharist, Spiritual Combat and Sexual Integrity for men today and will offer powerful speakers and much more! Contact: The Pilgrim Center of Hope at (210) 521-3377 or www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org.

A Pro-Life Benefit Gala will take place on Saturday, March 27th at the North Austin Marriott (Round Rock). The speaker will be Dr. Janet Smith, who is an expert on Catholic teachings on sexuality and bioethics. Dr. Smith holds the Father Micheal J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Don’t miss her insights on “A Culture of Life vs. A Culture of Death” as she shares John Paul II’s vision for how a commitment to Christian Values can restore a Culture of Life.

Contact: (512) 949-2486 or www.austindiocese.org/prolifegala.

See Sarah Palin and Support Life: Sarah Palin will share her passion for the LIFE movement on behalf of Texas-based Heroic Media, a Majella Cares Outreach, on Thursday, April 29th at the Austin Convention Center. Heroic Media is a faith-based, non-profit that reduces abortion by creating a Culture of Life through television, billboard and internet advertising.

Contact: (512) 340-0999 or www.heroicmedia.org.

A Pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and France will be from May 2nd to 13th, 2010. The trip includes: Fatima, Lourdes, Compostela, Avila, Madrid, Paris, and Lisbon. The chaplain leading this pilgrimage is Fr. Isidore Ndagizimana, pastor of St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Austin. The cost is $3,344 per person.

Contact: Julie Gray at 512-837-7825.

A Pilgrimage to Italy will be from May 17th to 28th, 2010. The chaplain leading this pilgrimage is Fr. Bud Roland, pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Austin. The cost is $3,958 per person.

Contact: Jeannine Gaillardetz at 512-249-5011 or jtravel@yahoo.com.