Author: Kevin

SCAM Alert: Awareness, Be Cautious

Scam Alert –

 It has once again been brought to the attention of the Diocese of Venice that parishioners have received text/email messages from people pretending to be priests and requesting donations in the form of gift cards and/or wire transfers. The messages often greet the person by name and have the priests name in the closing signature of the message; this is a well-crafted and targeted attack on the Church across the country which has hit our Diocese again. These text/email messages are ‘spoofed’ fakes that should not be responded to or taken seriously by anyone. The best defense against this sort of scam is to raise awareness in the community and not respond or open any worrying attachments. It is Diocesan policy that no priest or staff within the Diocese request donations in the form of gift cards, PayPal, MoneyGram, etc.
There is already an established process in place on how parishioners can make donations and participate in the life of the Parish. Whenever a parishioner is worried about any request for money from the parish or a priest, they should immediately call their parish and under no circumstances should they respond to these scam requests.

Thursday of Holy Week (Holy Thursday)
Thursday, April 9, 2020

Thursday of Holy Week (Holy Thursday)

Those gathered begin with the Sign of the Cross, saying:

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

How shall I make a return to the Lord
   for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
   and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
Precious in the eyes of the Lord
   is the death of his faithful ones,
I am your servant, the son of your
      handmaid;
   you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
   and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
My vows to the Lord I will pay
   in the presence of all his people.
Reading

John 13:1, 2b-5, 12-15

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. During supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.
   So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
Reflection
When Jesus got up from the table and took a towel and a basin of water, Peter thought that this was a very bad idea. But buried in this astonishing gesture was a symbol of service that was larger than a towel and a basin. It may have been at the end of the meal, but it was the beginning of a way of life for those first disciples and for us. This ministry of service is never finished. The command of Jesus, “as I have done for you, you should also do,” remains the heart of the Eucharistic community that is the Church.
Prayers others may be added
To you, O Lord, our redeemer,
we pray:
◆◆ Lord, hear our prayer.
That all Christians may one day be united at the table of the Lord, we pray to the Lord: ◆ That world leaders be more diligent in their efforts to provide food for those who are undernourished, we pray to the Lord: ◆ That those preparing to celebrate their first communion at Easter know the joy of the Lord in their life, we pray to the Lord: ◆ That those who live in communion with the Lord share their spiritual and material blessings with others, we pray to the Lord: ◆

Leader:
Gathering these and all unspoken prayers into one,
we pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father . . .
In the loving sacrifice of your Son,
   O God,
we have received the promise of
   your unconditional love.
Grant that we, who participate in
   this mystery on earth,
might come to enjoy forever the
   eternal banquet of the kingdom.
Through Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
Making the Sign of the Cross, all say:
Forever I will sing of the goodness of the Lord.