The Festival Brings Us Together

In previous columns, I wrote of the history of parish festivals and the tie in between faith and the community at large. As we ready ourselves for our festival, it might be a good time to reflect on our cultures disconect from human interaction and hopeful alternatives that come from events like parish festivals. Anymore it seems we connect with those around us, even loved ones, via texts, e-mails and facebook posts. Our festival offers an event where we can gather with our families, those in our parish, and the community at large to enjoy one another's company. Though we may partake of various food and drinks, our faith is the tie in that binds us together. In some ways, though we dress different and have technological devices that would cause their jaws to drop, the concept of the festival itself really isn't much different than what our ancestors celebrated centuries ago. Let's come to the festival to volunteer some of our time and then come o have fun, see some friends, meet new folks, and enjoy the time spent with all we need see and meet. Let's help make year number two of the Saint Joan of Arc festival an even bigger success than last year's inaugural celebration!

Did you know Bill Adams?

Bill Adams lived life to the MAX! His enthusiasm for life was an inspiration.

As a young man he earned numerous degrees from prestigious universities. During his career as an engineer his ideas were 'patented'. 

In 'retirement' he continued to ski, sail and acquired his private pilot's license to fly planes into his late seventies. His love of education continued by  mentoring new entrepreneurs and developing charter schools as part of their executive board. Plus he continued to work part time, four days a week in Boston!

All these achievements were amazing, but what remains truly amazing is the beautiful legacy of love for family and friends that Bill and his wife Claire have built over many decades. Parenting 11 children is a feat in its self! The Adams family exudes a warmth and genuine joy when sharing time together, which  always extends to all in the immediate vicinity. A special family tradition includes preforming the song 'Edelweiss' at gatherings for their guests.  

At Bill's 80th surprise birthday party, two weeks prior to his death, one guest summed it up perfectly, "Bill I hope if I get to be 80 that I have as many friends help me celebrate!"

Always quick to lend a hand, Bill served God and especially the St. Joan of Arc community for the past 25 years by volunteering as the coordinator for Lectors and worked with RCIA. His generosity, dedication, humility and fun sense of humor were special gifts to all.  The picture above, shows Bill in September 2006 as he promotes the GIFT French Toast Breakfast at St. Joan of Arc.

Bill Adams died on Friday, July 20, 2012, he will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by family, friends, colleagues and the St. Joan of Arc parish family. May God's love comfort those who mourn and welcome Bill home to his well deserved reward.  

Stewardship & The Parish Festival

Our parish festival is fast approaching (August 23-34-25.) It looks to be even bigger than last year's inaugural splash. This is a great event for our parish community, not only to get to know each other, but those in the community at large who come out to see what's with all of this publicity and signs they have been seeing. The best way we can all do our part is to help out in whatever way we can, along with showing up when we are not working to indulge in a little family fun. There probably isn't a better way to live your faith and have fun all at the same time. Last year's festival sure set the standard for inagural festivals and this year's promises to be another success. So tell your friends and family, bring some with you, help out as best you can, and while you are at if have some fun!

"Attitude of Gratitude'

"Gratitude is an attitude" . . .This phrase inspires me to adjust my attitude to always remember how many blessings and graces God provides to each of us especially in our most difficult moments.   

The past few months have been highlighted with various challenges.  One that especially weighs heavy on my heart is the reality of providing a caring and loving response for elderly or infirm loved ones.

It is difficult to witness vibrant people become dependent. It is difficult to sort out the mirade of options only to determine that none of the options is optimal. Settling for an option that is 'good enough' is difficult to embrace.  

This summer it has become apparent that my elderly parents are approaching the dreaded crossroads of independence versus dependence. Exploring solutions to this transition requries a broad perspective and openness to unique solutions. I have found strength, courage and peace from others in similar circumstances when we share experiences. A bond of caring forms which povides each of us with the knowledge that we are not alone in our struggles. Our communal prayer is a true blessing which provides comfort.

I am especially grateful for the support and patience of our clergy, staff, GIFT communities and parish family as I sort out the best options for my out of town parents. "

National Association of Pastoral Musicians Convention

Next week I will be away in Pittsburgh, PA at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) Convention.  This annual event brings together musicians from around the world to pray, learn and network with thousands of like minded individuals.  The convention is a week full of events, lectures, exhibitions and liturgies intended to invigorate musicians for the coming year.

From the NPM website, the convention is to:
Gather, sing, pray, and learn with hundreds of others who share your passion
Renew the liturgical and musical life of your parish
Renew your commitment to ministry and service to the singing and praying Church
Renew your skills with members who share your love of music and singing
Renew your spirit with some time away for refreshment and reflection
Reflect on thought-provoking major addresses
Enjoy delightful and inspiring musical events
Discover (or rediscover) music and other resources for the prayer of your community
Share your experiences and the experiences of others in implementing the new Missal

Please keep the musicians traveling to Pittsburgh in your prayers.

Anniversary Mass this Saturday!

This Saturday St. Joan of Arc celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of the Parish!

Holy Mass will be celebrated at 6:30pm on Saturday, followed by dinner.

The Mass will feature selections from Schubert's Mass No. 2 in G Major.  Click to listen!

The Mass will be accompanied by a 20 piece orchestra!  We hope to see you there!

Happy July 4th

Happy Fourth of July from the staff at St. Joan of Arc in Powell, Ohio.

Please take time this day to thank God for our country and to pray for our religious liberties.

Enjoy the day with your family.

Greetings from Salt Lake City, Utah

Greetings!

I am updating this blog from Salt Lake City, Utah at the home of the Church Music Association of America's Colloquium 2012.  This 22nd Colloquium put on by the CMAA is an opportunity for church musicians to get together, learn about conducting techniques, vocal development, improve their skills as organists, etc...

This year the Colloquium is taking place at the beautiful Cathedral here in Salt Lake City.

Pray for all the participants of the Colloquium, so that they may grow as musicians and seek to fill the world with the sounds of sacred music.

God bless,
MJM

Ever Thought of Joining the Choir?

Ever thought of joining the choir?

This Summer is the perfect time to do so!

Come to three rehearsals and sing at our exciting 25th Anniversary Mass!

Rehearsals:  June 20th, July 10th and July 11th at 7:00pm.
Anniversary Mass:  July 14th at 6:30pm.

This is a great way to try the choir out and see if you find it to be a fun and spiritually uplifting experience.

Can you only make 2 out of 3 rehearsals? Contact me today to discuss this, but it should work if you're willing to do a little bit of practice at home.  mmeloche@stjoanofarcpowell.org

Summer Stewardship

As we officially enter summer, it is natural to assume that most are out and about either enjoying the weather, relaxing at home, or on some long planned vacation. However, summertime can sometimes mask loneliness. Some of the elderly may have lost most of their friends and others may wish they were relaxing on some beach or hiking up some picturesque mountain trail, but they aren’t. Perhaps our job is to help these folks the best we can, which may simply mean an occasional visit. In our modern age of social media, we can easily get disconnected from others and wrapped up in ourselves. All we need to do to remind ourselves of this is to peruse some internet blogs or television shows to see how self absorbed many have become. We are called to be different. This summer let’s try to reach out to those who need some basic human contact.

A Season for Weddings

Each Summer many couples get married, and that is also the case here at St. Joan of Arc in Powell.  Each year our Deacons, Associate Pastor and our Pastor Fr. Raymond Larussa marry many men and women who make a commitment to be together for the rest of their lives.

A wonderful part of my job as an ecclesiastical musician is sitting down with couples to choose music for their Nuptial Mass or service.  Each couple will often have something different in mind, and will differ slightly from one another.  Yet all of the couples are coming together to celebrate the love of God, their love for one another and to be joined in this wonderful Sacrament.

Pray for the couples to be married at St. Joan's this year, those who have been married at St. Joan's in the past, and all married couples.  May their love for one another grow and their love of God be strengthened all the days of their lives.

Summer & Ordinary Time

Now that school is out, we are Ordinary Time (in the Church calendar,) and summer is upon us, some may put their faith on the back burner. However, it should be the time that like our gardens and crops in the field, our faith should germinate and grow. All of the lessons we learned in the Christmas and Easter Season should be visible for all to see in summer. On peaceful summer nights and the occasional rainy day, we should find the time to ponder where we are in our relationship to Christ and His Church. There probably isn't a better time to peruse your Bible, or the saints of the day (just google Catholic feast day) and read about the countless men and women who went before us, often under demanding circumstances to show us the way. In turn we can take those lessons and pass them on to others in overt and subtle ways, whether they be in our homes, at the baseball diamond or soccer field, or even on vacation. You will indeed realize that what you have done in helping others to grow is not ordinary at all.

This Sunday's Communion Hymn

       The Communion hymn sung at Masses this weekend asks two questions in the first verse.  The first of these questions is one we should constantly ask ourselves:  How can I love God as I ought?   Our God has given us so much – our lives, our loved ones, this wonderful country and world we inhabit.  How on earth can we love our God enough to let Him know we appreciate these gifts?

       Thankfully the hymn writer gives us a possible answer in the second verse:  by singing hymns of fervent praise with pure hearts like those of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Obviously without the stain of original sin and with a pure heart, Mary is able to love God fully.  Attachment to sin keeps us from loving our God as we ought to.  Therefore let us always strive, though it may be difficult with our human weaknesses, to love God with a heart that is pure and detached from sin like Mary’s.

       The final verse of the hymn reminds us of the nature of Holy Mass as being celebrated both here on earth and in heaven – sometimes we forget that the Mass is both physical and metaphysical.  We have been given a wondrous gift in the holy sacrifice of the Mass and in the Holy Eucharist.  Let us rejoice this weekend as we celebrate Corpus et Sanguis Christi – the great Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Confessions are offered at St. Joan of Arc each Saturday at 4:00pm and by appointment.  There is no better way to prepare to celebrate Holy Mass than going to confession and attending Mass in a state of grace.

For Greater Glory

Part of our duties in Stewardship is supporting those who have done much for the Catholic faith. The movie, "For Greater Glory" has just been released with an all star cast that includes, Peter O'Toole,. Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Eduardo Verastegui and Karyme Lozano. The movie relates a horrible situation in 1920s Mexico when the government tried to outlaw the Church in a country that was 99% Catholic. An amred rebellion broke out among the peasants and the government finally backed down, but not after thousands of the faithful were killed. It is a reminder that the Church has and always will be attacked somewhere on the earth. It is our job to not only defend the truth, but to support those who tell the story of the brave faithful wherever they may be. Here is our chance to support a Hollywood film that actually stands for heroic values.

Trinity Sunday and Hymnody

I just picked up our blue hymnal and opened it to a random page and looked at the hymn.  #413 was the first page I saw, Gather and Remember, text by Owen Alstott.  The hymn text written in 2001, not familiar to me at least, follows the traditional hymn method of using its last verse to praise the Holy Trinity.

Many hymns end this way - with praise to our God:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The next time you open your hymnal check out the last verse of the hymn - does it include a reference to the Most Holy Trinity?  If it does, then the writer of that hymn (whether it was written in 1500 or 2012) is following a tradition that spans many denominations, countries and styles of music.

This shows us how important our belief in the Trinity is and how important it is to praise our God:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Come to Mass this Sunday and sing your faith - that God is one God, three persons.

O most holy Trinity, 

Undivided Unity;  

Holy God, 

Mighty God, 

God immortal, be adored.

Memorial Day Stewardship Reflections

This Memorial Day we see so many visbible signs of Stewardship to our nation and faith. Freedom and faith go hand and hand and our nation has fought to keep our religious liberty. There are always threats to that religious liberty both inside and outside our nation. Jesus and many New Testament figures, like St Paul, reminded us that the evil one will always prowl the earth to cause division and even disbelief. This Memorial Day we honor those who fought for our country and thus helped us preserve that most important right, the right of Faith. Western History is full of movements that tried to take away religious liberty; from the French Revolution in 1793 to the Russian Revolution of 1917, to the Cristero War in Mexico in the 1920s, to the Nazi Movement of the 1930s and 1940s, along with hundreds of other smaller attemtps to extinguish the Faith. In addition to honoring those who serve, let us Thank God for His Providential Hand in keeping the faith alive.

Pentecost Mass this Sunday

We look forward to our Outdoor Pentecost Mass this Sunday at 12:30pm. 

We hope to see you there!

This Sunday will be our last Choral Mass of the season and our last Handbell Mass of the season.  I have seen both of these groups grow - both in number and in talent - throughout this year.  Their hard work and dedication shines in their exquisite and edifying music.  May God give them a restful Summer so that they may come back and continue His work in the fall.

Have you ever considered joining the choir?  Ever wanted to ring a handbell?  We'd love to hear from you!

Let us know what you think of the blog

Please feel free to email me or make a comment below to let us know what you think of our Staff Blog. 

Our readership has been steadily increasing, yet we've heard no feedback.  We'd love to hear from you.

Easter Season--Ordinary Time

After celebrating Pentecost, we transition from the Easter Season to Ordinary Time in the Church calendar. The Easter Season is a joyous season within the Church calendar that lasts 50 days. Ordinary Time takes us through the summer and fall. The phrase “Ordinary Time” comes from the Latin Tempus Per Annum which loosely translated means “time throughout the year.” However, in reality no time in the Church calendar is ordinary. Just go to the internet and type in May Feast days or any month of the year and you will find an array of saints for each day. These men and women were certainly not ordinary, though many of them came from “ordinary” backgrounds. Sometimes we want the saints to be superhuman to let us off the hook. However, most of them were very much like us, they just persevered in the Faith more. As we transition to summer, we too should realize that God makes us all extraordinary, but do we take the type to notice and thank God for His gifts? Perhaps this summer as our lives hopefully slow down a notch we should take the time to ponder God’s gifts and act accordingly. The Church’s calendar year, much like the sacraments fit into the rhythm of life. Let’s take the time to find out how we are currently fitting into that rhythm and see how we might adjust to follow to God’s rhythm and will.

An exciting weekend at St. Joan of Arc!

This Sunday is Ascension Sunday!

At our Saturday Vigil our Children's Choir and Children's Handbell choir will provide music for our inspiration and joy.  This is the final Mass for our Children's Choir and The Ringers! for the year.  Afterward, the children will gather to celebrate our musical efforts from this year and award some students who have went above-and-beyond the calls of duty.  Thank you to all of the children who are involved in our music program.

At 10:45am we will have our last big Choral Mass of the year.  Many of our anthems from Easter will be repeated and we will celebrate with joy that day when our Lord ascended into heaven.

Alleluia!  Our God has risen and will one day come again.  Go out and proclaim this good news to all the nations!

Coming to the Pentecost Outdoor Mass?

Coming to the outdoor Mass on Pentecost (March 27th at 12:30pm)?

Some pictures from last year's Pentecost Mass:

Stewardship--Ways To Help

In the last few posts, you have read about ways to use your talents and the many blessings that God has given us through His Church. Now here are some ways we can give some of the fruits of those blessings back to God and His Church. It is Bishop's Annual Appeal time again. There are so many programs that the Bishop's Annual Appeal funds, which is helpful in the realization that some program close to each of our hearts will benefit from our generosity. While we are on the subject of giving, some of you use Automatic Withdraw to pay your bills, why not use the same method to give to the parish? It beats forgetting your envelope while on your way to Mass. One final thing to consider; have yout thought about the parish in your will? Something to ponder as we face the fact that tomorrow is not promised to us. We should use each and every day to thank God for His blessings and find ways to say thank you.

Who do you serve?

Many thanks to the wonderful people who share their faith and life with each other. Your witness provides a glimpse of the face of Christ. These examples are played out each time someone shares a life experience and connects that with God's presence.

One example that comes to mind is the time Rose Rouse and Margaret Royce shared their outreach experiences serving at  J.0.I.N. (Joint Organization for Inner-city Needs) with their Tuesday morning GIFT community.   Through their enthusiasm they inspired others in our small community to visit and support the efforts of J.O.I.N. by bringing donations of supplies each week they meet. This small community has also made 'field trips' to J.O.I.N. to volunteer and learn more about the vital work being done to assist those in need.

There are many opportunities to serve God's people, sometimes it just takes one small step such as joining a small faith sharing community to get the journey started. Please contact Pete Shears 614-888-1562 or Romy Riebe 614-885-9450 to get more information about various Growing In Faith Together (GIFT) opportunities.

An Exciting Weekend at St. Joan of Arc!

This coming weekend is an exciting one at St. Joan of Arc, in Powell, Ohio.

The Choir will sing their weekly Choral Mass at the 5:00pm Vigil Mass Saturday evening!  We hope to see you there.

On Sunday we have cantors at both 7:30am and 9:00am Masses.

At 10:45 we have our Children's Handbell Team, The Ringers! providing instrumental music to edify our congregation.

After a cantor Mass at 12:30pm noon, our contemporary ensemble St. Joan of Roc will sing at the 5:30pm Sunday evening Mass!

After the Sunday Evening Mass, we will have our final installment of our Christian Concert Series as the Columbus International Children's Choir presents its Spring Concert at 7:00pm at St. Joan of Arc.  We hope to see you at this wonderful concert event!

As with all concerts in the series, admission is free.  A free-will collection will be taken up to support the artists involved, as well as St. Joan of Arc Music Ministry.

Sacraments 'R' US

 Church ministry is never dull, especially at St. Joan of Arc in April! Literally over 360 students and their families will have celebrated either First Communion or Confirmation here this month. If we were listed on the New York Stock Exchange, we could be called, Sacraments 'R' Us.

 Do you ever wonder how so many students and families are prepared for these special sacramental milestones?  One way to visualize this is to think of  all the families, dedicated volunteers, staff and clergy as threads of a skillful weaving which becomes a beautiful tapestry.


Today I'd like to focus on the PSR  staff members who behind the scenes are the strong threads that form this fabric for God's tapestry. Their contributions are special signs of  God's presence among us. 


Many of the colorful threads for the tapestry are the 350 + volunteers which are coordinated by director, Emily Winner along with top notch administrative staff; Mary Jo Newell, Judy Komenda, Cindy Guzak and dedicated coordinators; Jeanne Hayslip - preschool, Laura Sams - elementary, Susan Fox - middle school, and Michael Barone - high school youth group.   This team is composed  of 4 full time and 4 part time staff members. They weave prayer, education, community, and outreach together for the 1,800 + PSR (Parish School of Religion) children and their families to celebrate the sacraments and live their faith.


The visible thread that connects the weaving is obviously our ordained clergy; Pastor, Fr. Raymond Larussa, Associate Pastor, Fr. Jeffrey Tigyer, Weekend Celebrants; Emeritus Bishop James Griffin, Retired Founding Pastor George Schlegel, Deacons Tom Berg Sr., James Rouse, Michael Ross and Ben Muhlenkamp (deacon from the Josephinum who will be ordained in his home diocese soon). Their efforts are seamlessly supported by Eloise Carlet, sacristan coordinator and staff member,  whose efforts ensure that everyone and everything is in place for each sacramental celebration. This is quite an amazing feat given the numerous events at St. Joan of Arc.

The finishing touch for this tapestry is God's love which binds us together. It encourages each of us to contribute to this tapestry by becoming active members. One great way to participate in this large parish is to join Growing In Faith Together (GIFT), small faith sharing communities, it helps make this large parish more personal.   For more information please contact Pete Shears 614-888-1562 or Romy Riebe 614-885-9450.

A busy few weeks...

This has been a busy few weeks for our music program.  The Funeral for Captain Rozanski was followed up with two busy First Communion Masses (congratulations to the 222 children who received their First Holy Communion!).

This week, our music program says goodbye to a good friend in John Orban.  John had been a member of the St. Joan of Arc Choir for many years.  May his soul and all of the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of our God, rest in peace.

Tomorrow many choir members will gather to sing at John's Funeral Mass, please keep them, John, and his family in your prayers.


This weekend our parish celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Our choir will be singing many of our Easter anthems at the Choral Mass for Confirmation which will be at 10am.  This is an exciting time for our young people - keep them in your prayers.

This Sunday at the 9am Mass our Jr. Choristers Children's Choir sings their first Mass alone!  This group of children in kindergarten through second grade are very excited to spread their vocal wings and sing without their older counterpart (The Choristers Children's Choir, grades 3-8).  Come out and hear these young voices sing hymns of praise to Almighty God.

At the 10:45 Mass this weekend, our Handbell Choir will play their final Mass of the year (other than the Pentecost Outdoor Mass).  The Bell Choir has come a long way this year and we are very hopeful for the future of our handbell program as it continues to expand and become more advanced.

At the 5:30pm Mass on Sunday evening, our choir will lead the music.  This is the last 5:30pm Choral Mass of the year.

The following weekend (May 6th), our principal organist Val is away and I'll be playing at the full litany of Masses... and there's a concert Sunday evening.  See the bulletin this Sunday for more exciting details as The Columbus International Children's Choir comes to St. Joan of Arc for their Spring Concert at 7pm on May 6th.

Stewardship

A reminder that our Basics of Faith final class sessions continue today (Monday) and on Wednesday at 4:30 and 6:15. The classes are the same class, just offered at different times to suit your needs. As our Easter Season moves on we should live this happy season out in a joyous fashion. Sometimes our lives are full of clutter; busy schedules, endless phone calls and texts. What better way to show God's love than by showing it to others in the way we live and respond to lives good and bad moments. Nothing better demonstrates our faith to others than how we live it.

A Grief Shared; Captain Nic Rozanski

Every now and then routine lives come to an abrupt halt when faced with the reality of the fragile nature of earthly existence.

For many those defining moments were Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18, 2012. The community of St. Joan of Arc hosted the funeral of parishioner, 36 year old Capt. Nic Rozanski, who was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan along with two other central Ohio soldiers.

The out pouring of love and support for his wife Jenny, their two young girls, his parents, in-laws, siblings, relatives and many friends was truly amazing. The expression of support was unwavering as visitors arrived for the calling hours which were scheduled from 2:00 - 8:00 pm on Tuesday April 17. The hundreds of people who waited hours in line to express their condolences did not cease until 10:15 pm.

A military detail kept vigil during the night with Captain Rozanski's body until the funeral Mass at 10:00 am on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the day of the funeral, over 700 people filled the church. The numerous military dignitaries, enlisted soldiers, and countless civilian personnel joined Nic's family and friends for a ceremony of recognition which included presentation of Medals for Bravery in the line of duty. After the presentation everyone  joined to celebrate Mass and offered prayers for Nic, his family & friends and those in service of their country. Beautiful, heart felt eulogies commemorated the life of a man whose passion, integrity, mischievous fun, dedicated service and great love off family and  life brought joy to all those who were blessed to know him.

News helicopters hovered a respectful distance in the sky to film the procession to the cemetery. The funeral procession stretched for miles. The 285 cars with police escorts and freedom rider motorcyclists slowly passed  a tribute by fire fighters and hundreds of students and people who paused from their work day to line the roads en route to the cemetery to bid farewell to this brave man.

The bright, sunny, unseasonably warm day was a sharp contrast to the deep sadness and sorrow that filled the hearts of those in attendance in the cemetery that day. Final tributes were expressed in prayer and actions; a sprinkling rite with holy water, an honor guard with a 21 gun salute, 4 mounted police officers with their horses leading a riderless horse as bag pipe players signaled the final farewell.

Nic's family and friends returned to St. Joan of Arc for a luncheon and an opportunity to share stories of this cherished man. The 240 guests dined on some of Nic's favorite foods donated by: White Castle- sliders,  Babuska's perogies, Roosters assortment of chicken wings, Rusty Bucket torpedo subs, Vincenzo's calzones, Village Tavern chowder, plus Bier Stube & Tommy's pizza.  The menu also included crispy baked chicken breasts, mac and cheese, kielbasa & sauerkraut, salsa & chips, salads, fruit and an endless, delicious assortment of desserts donated by both  parish and military families.

The theme that connected all who were in some way involved; wether clergy, parish staff, volunteers, restaurants or people who lined the streets, everyone felt it was an honor to contribute some small part to provide  tribute to our fallen soldiers and to support our military personnel and their families.

We do not understand why Captain Nic Rozanski's life was cut so short but, the impact of his 36 years will echo on into time by all who witnessed these powerfully moving events and for the selfless example he set.  This terrible loss provided a glimpse of what it is to be a community (regardless of faith demonination) sharing gifts and talents to help begin to heal the broken body of Christ.   We pray that God's peace and love comfort all those who grieve the loss of a loved one.

Captain Nicholas J. Rozanski died on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in northern Afghanistan.

He was a member of the Ohio Army National Guard’s 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Nick, a graduate of Dublin Coffman High School and The Ohio State University, was an amazing father, husband, son, brother & friend to all who knew him.

Funeral for Captain Nicholas Rozanski

This morning we celebrated the Funeral Mass of Captain Nicholas Rozanski.  I thank the numerous choir members who took time off of work to come and sing at the Mass, the additional singers who joined us from Holy Spirit (Whitehall) and St. Francis of Assisi (Victorian Village).

More information on Captain Nick can be found here.

Requiem Aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetuae luceat eis. Requiescant in pace.  Amen.
Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord him and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.  Amen.

Basics of Faith Final Class

St Joan of Arc Basics of Faith final class will soon be upon us. You only need attend one of the following which are scheduled at different times for your convenience. This Sunday at 3:45 and Monday and Wednesday at 4:30 and 6:15. In our final session we will be discussing the Catholic Church in our modern times. Why is our Church growing when so many are not? What is behind the new agnsoticism and atheism and has it happened in the past? What is the role of the laity in our current times? Come and hear the Good News!

WELCOME & CONGRATULATIONS!

It is with great joy we celebrate all our new members who entered into full communion into the Catholic church at the Easter Vigil. Congratulations!

This year GIFT (Growing In Faith Together) small faith sharing communities would like to especially acknowledge members of our small communities who officially joined the Catholic Church this past weekend; Dreama Niesel (wife of Pastoral Facilitator Bill Niesel)  and Georgie Hess (Co-Pastoral Facilitator).

Their faith journeys have been wonderful inspirations. Their joy and delight in achieving this faith milestone, is a living reminder of the countless graces and blessings available to each of us by participating in the life of the church.  
  
We continue to pray for all our newly initiated members and look forward to growing in faith together.

Holy Week Thanks

Many thanks to the choir, bell choir, cantors, accompanists, instrumentalists, children's choirs, St. Joan of Roc, and others for their assistance in making beautiful music during Holy Week.  So much work goes into this week; and it seems to be over so very quickly.

As we continue to move through the Easter Season we will endeavor to keep the joy of the Risen Lord in our hearts and on our lips.  This will culminate with our exciting outdoor Choral Mass on Pentecost Sunday at 12:30pm.

There will be no Choral Mass this weekend as I am on vacation (why am I updating this while I'm on vacation?).  St. Joan of Roc will lead music during the Divine Mercy devotions and the 5:30pm Holy Mass on Sunday.  I encourage you to go and pray for God's continued mercy to be shown to us in our lives.

Easter Joy

The Easter fire, rising up, dispelling the darkness of the night . . . and so it began . . . the fullness, the richness of the Easter Vigil is beyond words.  And yet, the anticipation was captured in a sense, by one of the soon to be initiated RCIA individuals.

"I am so happy and proud to soon be a member of the Catholic Church with you"

The Church welcomes you with great joy!!!!!!!  

Stewardship: The Church Is Mercy

In the long history of the Church; Divine Mercy Sunday is rather new. It revolves around the miraculous visions received by a Polish nun Sister Faustina during the 1930s. The messages revolved around Jesus' everlasting mercy. This is an important message in our modern world where some feel that their sins are too serious or out of control to either be stopped or forgiven. Jesus forgives all who truly repent and want to change their lives and help others.

Nearly one century ago, the British philosopher and Catholic thinker GK Chesterton stated that most who get caught up in pornography and sexual vice were lost souls looking for God but somehow in their loneliness took a terrible wrong turn and ended ip in a horrible place. Divine Mercy Sunday is especially relevant for these lost souls. If Chesterton noticed this sad fact one hundred years ago, one can only imagine how many more people are in need of help today.

St Jerome tells us that the only surviving Apostle Saint John, who lived to the ripe old age of one hundred, would often be carried by the faithful to various Early Church gatherings after his extended exile on the isle of Patmos. When the participants would run into perplexing disagrement, the suthor of the last Gospel and Book of Revelation would perk up and say,"Little children love one another." In miraculous fashion, agreement on those perplexing issues were resolved; something to think about this Divine Mercy Sunday.

Good Friday

Stations of the Cross will be prayed at St. Joan of Arc at 3pm, followed by a presentation on death by crucifixion.

The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday will be celebrated at 7:30pm this evening.

The Triduum begins tomorrow!

Tomorrow begins the Triduum, three days which unite all Catholics in our memory of Christ's life, death and resurrection.  We invite you to join us at St. Joan of Arc for these wonderful Masses and liturgies.

Tomorrow evening (Thursday), we celebrate the Mass of our Lord's Supper at 7:30pm.  This Choral Mass will be sung by our choir with Samuel Webbe's Agnus Dei and Ave Verum as centerpieces.  We will also chant Pange Lingua as we process throughout the church and to the altar of repose.  This beautiful chant will be sung in both English and Latin.

Friday evening, we gather to hear the Passion according to St. John, venerate the cross, and receive Holy Communion at 7:30pm.  This Solemn Choral Service will be sung by our choir with Mozart's Ave Verum and many other choral masterpieces.  The traditional hymn O Sacred Head Surrounded and Were You There will also be sung.

Saturday evening, after the fall of darkness, we will gather at 8:45pm to celebrate the Easter Vigil.  This Solemn Choral Mass with chamber orchestra will feature many contemporary and traditional favorites.

Easter Sunday morning our 7:30am Mass in the church, 9:30 and 11:30 Masses in the Parish hall, and 5:30 Mass in the church will be sung by cantors.  Some of our best cantors have signed up, despite singing at multiple other services throughout this week, to lead the congregation in song during this most triumphant Sunday.  Let us raise our voices in a glad alleluia and sing Jesus Christ is Risen Today!

At our 9:30am Choral Mass on Easter Sunday, the choir will again be accompanied by a chamber orchestra and will repeat many of the beautiful choral pieces and hymn arrangements sung at the Easter Vigil.

At the 11:30am Mass in the church, St. Joan of Roc leads the congregation in many of today's best contemporary Catholic pieces.

This is a wonderful time for us to express our faith - show up every day and celebrate the greatest gift God could ever give to us:  salvation. 

Triduum and Easter Schedule

Holy Thursday, April 5

NO Morning Mass

Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 7:30 p.m.

Good Friday, April 6

Morning Prayer: 8:30 a.m.

Stations of the Cross: 3:00 p.m.

Good Friday Liturgy: 7:30 p.m.

Holy Saturday, April 7

Morning Prayer: 8:30 a.m.

Easter Vigil Mass: 8:45 p.m.

(No 5:00 p.m. Mass)

Easter Sunday, April 8

Mass Schedule:

7:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

RCIA Retreat

RCIA gathered for an all day retreat Saturdayat the Josephinum in preparation for reception of the Sacraments of Initiation.  They were joined by the RCIA group from St Margaret of Cortona.

It was a time for reflection as they spent time with the Beatitudes, led by Deacon Tom Berg Sr. and Pete Wisenberger.   To come to appreciate the depth of the Beatitudes, as well as the countercultural dynamic was brought home through prayer, music, quite time and large group sharing.

Please keep them all in prayer as they come to the Easter Vigil!

Did You Make it to the Fish Fry?

It's over, hope you didn't miss it!

The annual tradition of the Lenten Fish Fry at St. Joan of Arc wrapped up this Friday. It is always an amazing effort in coordination for so many volunteers to come together and create such a wonderful event that serves all faiths! On Fridays during Lent everyone wants to be Catholic so they can have a reason to eat fish.  

Congratulations to our Knights of Columbus and parish volunteers for serving over 900 dinners in just two and half hours!

Behind the scenes dedicated members of the Knights of Columbus spend countless hours preparing for these six weeks.  During Lent the process usually begins with ordering supplies which are delivered on Thursdays. The huge shipments arrive weekly and are stocked in freezers, refrigerators and storage closet. Thursday evening finds the Knights busy transforming the social hall and classrooms into an expansive dining facility.

Friday morning volunteers begin to prepare the fish, cole slaw, mac'n cheese and green beans. By the time parish groups and ministries are in place to help serve the fish, many hours of behind the scene preparations have occurred. In the kitchen, the fish fry chefs work together like a finely tuned machine cranking out the tasty dinners. 

After the final meal has been served, with one final valiant push the Knights tackle cleaning the kitchen, classrooms and social hall. This massive job of resetting the entire space is quite challenging but each week it is accomplished.

This week the GIFT communities had the privilege of assisting the Knights with serving the meals.  It is always fun to visit with the guests as they go through the serving line. We are truly blessed by the countless ways the Knights of Columbus along with the many ministries and organizations of St. Joan of Arc work together to build up the Body of Christ.   

Masses this Weekend... Palm Sunday of our Lord's Passion

This Sunday, Palm Sunday of our Lord's Passion, is an exciting time for any active music program!

On Saturday evening we'll be having our principal Solemn Mass with music provided by St. Joan of Roc.

On Sunday morning we're excited for our Choral Mass at 10:45 which will feature some tremendous anthems for the edification of our congregation.

At the 5:30pm Sunday evening Mass our Children's Choirs will raise their voices with a glad Hosanna as they acclaim our Lord Jesus Christ as King.

Come journey with us through this weekend and into Holy Week!  This is an exciting and solemn time of the Church year.

Holy Week . . . The Triduum

The time is approaching for our elect and candidates for full communion, to be received into the Church. 

      They will walk with us in prayer through the Triduum, savoring the expererience of each night
  
                 until the Easter Vigil . . . when all will be made new in Christ . . .

                           Come share the joy of these nights  . . . for there is nothing else like it!

Palm Sunday & The Meaning of Stewardship

Looking back on Palm Sunday, it must have caused some of the earliest Christians great feelings of guilt and complicity. How many of them welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with palm branches and shouts of Hosanna. Yet, a few days later how many of them probably joined the crowd in saying, "Does anything good come from the Gallilee?

Hopping on the bandwagon is nothing new, it even happened in the ancient world. Think it couldn't happen to us? Do you really want to think of the times that we all stood around while others including the Church were the butt of people's jokes and we either pretended not to hear or put up a feeble defense. However, if someone said those same things about our favorite sports team, music group or actor or actress, chances are the outcome might just become heated.

As Lent is winding down, we too like those earliest of Christians can redeem ourselves by embracing the truth and help those, including the Church, who are coming under attack from those who sense an opening to attack the weak. In standing up for the truth, we will find ourselves becoming stronger in all things, including faith.

Small Faith Sharing Communities, BIG Benefits!

             Learn! Grow! Share Friendship in the Parish!
                                Appreciate Your Faith More!

St. Joan of Arc small faith sharing communities are a conduit for getting to know parish members and grow in faith together.

Recent events for small faith sharing communities:

Parish Mission, Fish Frys, Stations of the Cross, Women's & Men's Breakfast with Fr. Larussa, Women's Groups: Lenten Longings & Women of Grace Book Club, Men's Faith Sharing, Fall French Toast Breakfast, Christmas potlucks and Summer picnics.  

Upcoming event: Next Friday, March 30th the Small Faith Sharing Communities (GIFT) will be assisting the Knights of Columbus with serving fish at the Fish Fry. If interested in volunteering, please contact us.

Become a part of something BIG join a small faith sharing community TODAY!
Contact Romy Riebe 614-885-9450 or Pete Shears 614-888-1562.
 

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc we'll be having music provided by cantors at the 5:00pm Vigil, and the 7:30am,  9:30am and 12:30pm Masses.  At 10:45 we'll have our contemporary ensemble St. Joan of Roc leading us in song.  The 5:30pm Mass on Sunday evening will be our Choral Mass.

Also this weekend we'll be having a concert on Sunday Evening (March 25th) at 7:00pm as part of our Christian Concert Series.  As with all concerts in our series, admission is free but a free-will offering will be taken up to support the artists involved as well as our parish music program.

The Book of Jonah

Organist Matthew J. Meloche presents this unique concert which will include the reading of the Book of Jonah in its entirety.  Organ music played under the reading will enhance the themes and interludes with organ improvisations will give the listener time to reflect upon the Word of God.  This is not a traditional organ concert – there will be no repertoire or large-scale organ pieces.  Instead, this is a night to hear the Word of God and music combined together for inspiration during this Lenten season.  

We hope to see you there!

This Week in Stewardship

Our outreach work continues this Lent. As indicated in a previous post, in the coming weeks there will be various mailings going out to reach out to Catholic and non-Catholic alike. We are trying to reach out to all and make them aware of the dynamic faith community we have here at St. Joan's. Our faith calls us to make known to all the mysteries and gifts of God.

Our modern world does not seem to shy away from evangelizing all things from burgers and cars to vacation spots, some of them take on a life and lifetyle of their own. Sadly many are substituting things for faith. During this Lent let us show others the way by letting them see what we do to help others. Now might be a good time to review the spiritual (admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, pray for the living and the dead) and corporal works of mercy (feed the hungry, give thirst to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, visit the sick and bury the dead) so as to validate what our faith means to us. It could be a powerful witness to a world that needs it.

Lenten Opportunities

This beautiful spring-like weather with so many trees and flowers beginning to bloom, is the perfect reminder of how our small faith sharing communities are blooming at St. Joan of Arc.

This past Saturday March 10, featured a Women's Breakfast with Fr. Larussa. It was initiated  as a result Women's Conference and about 55 ladies attended.

The gathering began with Saturday morning Mass which included a lovely breakfast hosted and served by the participants of the Men's Conference. The theme of the morning was Pathways to Christ - Keeping Your "Soil" Fertile. Fr. Larussa shared the scripture reading from Mark 4:1-20; the Parable of the Sower. Each participant was given a hyachinth bulb planted in a container as a reminder to keep our spiritual soil culitvated with God's word and works.   Many opportunities were shared to help faciliated our spiritual growth. 

These opportunities include special Lenten experiences:
GIFT (Growing In Faith Together)  Romy Riebe 614-885-9450

Lenten Longings, 6 sessions, begun on Mar. 6, Tuesday evenings 7:00-8:30 pm
Facilitated by Anne Benington, 614-764-0924

Mornings of Grace Book Club, My Life with the Saints, 5 sessions begun on Mar. 2, Friday Mornings 9:30-11:00 am Facilitated by Jennie Wallace

Burdens and Blessings Women's Prayer Group, meets, April 21, May 12, 26, June 2, 16
Saturdays 9:00 a.m.Facilitated Annie Dalby, spiritual director

Coming in the Fall 2012:
Women's Overnight Retreat Michelle Biagi 614-785-0709, Jean Supron 614-433-9815

Various Small Group Study Series:
~ Catholicism DVD Series
~ Together!  Series (28 sessions) Eileen Huber 614-849-8827
~ Women of Grace (9 sessions) Jennie Wallace 614-430-8202 & Anne Benington 614-764-0924

Please watch bulletin for future details.

"And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold." Mark 4:20

Holy Week Anthems

The choir is readying several special anthems for Easter and Holy Week.  Want to check out their music before coming to Mass so you can more readily enter into the music being sung?  It's easy with the internet!

One anthem that will be used on Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday is entitled Who is that Man?  The piece, sung from the prospective of someone watching the events of Holy Week take place in history, questions who Jesus is, why He lives so peacefully, why many and why his friends leave Him in His time of need.
It can be listened to here:  http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/who-is-that-man/462723/

An anthem that will be used at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday at our 9:30am Choral Mass is entitled There is a Redeemer.  The rich orchestration will make this piece truly special as the choir acclaims that we do have a Redeemer and that He has truly risen.
It can be heard here:  http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/there-is-a-redeemer/462774/

Finally our choir will repeat our popular Easter anthem from last year Glory to the Risen Lamb, but it will be slightly different since the orchestration will be primarily strings and woodwinds, whereas last year it was entirely brass.
It can be heard here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdp3wD6HJnI

There will be many other motets and anthems throughout the week to draw you into the liturgies being celebrated.  Included are some more traditional motets by Samuel Webbe, W.A. Mozart and others.

We urge you to spiritually journey with us through the Holy Week Choral Masses.

Please note, our Choral Mass on Palm Sunday is at 10:45AM.

Midway through Lent

Midway through Lent with RCIA . . . and time is precious now, for we are rapidly approaching Holy Week and the Triduum.   We spent this past Sunday evening looking into the Creed and the Our Father.  After the session people spoke about the depth of those two prayers and how they found new meaning and understanding from the session. 

The tip of the iceberg . . . the challenge for us all . . . to come to "know in our hearts" the prayer's we pray so often.  Can we be open to receiving new insights?  Will we find ways to give them expression with our lives? 

There is still time . . . we are only midway through Lent . . .  

Stewardship Plans

This Lent the Stewardship team is busy planning a series of mailings and events that we hope will help get the faithful message of the parish out to the greater community. We pray this in turn leads to our continued spiritual growth and outreach to the greater community. This summer our parish will celebrate her 25th anniversary and we need your prayers to make sure all of the parish's endeavors in faith and outreach are a success.

We are more than halfway through Lent and now is the time to assess our growth in faith and stewardship. In some ways Lent us like spiritual training and exercise as we prepare for Christ's death and resurrection. The best thank you gift we can give Christ is the seriousness in which we grow in our faith and service to others.

Tom Booth's SJA Mission Performance

Tom Booth Lenten Parish Mission New Song Performance, Feb. 28th (Click here)

Tom Booth composed, recorded, and then performed this original piece for the first time at the St. Joan of Arc Parish Mission, in Powell, OH, on Tuesday, February 28th. It has been tentatively named "All That I Need" The second verse is under revision, but enjoy this live performance! This song is not currently available for sale, but may be on future Tom Booth recordings. For more information, please visit: http://tomboothmusic.com. Thanks!
This inspirational parish mission with Tom Booth and his sister Carrie Graham, was attended by over 2,100 adults and children. Their faithfilled stories, prayers and songs provided a beautiful, reflective introduction into the Lenten season.
Anyone that ordered Tom Booth's CD's or song books during the mission may pick up their order after Masses during the weekend of March 24 and 25. The CD's were back ordered and will be shipped to our parish late next week. Thanks for your patience and understanding.


Keep the Lenten Mission alive in your heart by living the message of prayer, fasting and outreach. Lenten small faith sharing groups are in session during Lent. For more information, please call Romy Riebe 614-946-5488.

YOUTH MINISTRY IRISH MUSIC NIGHT THIS SUNDAY!

We are going to have an Irish music night this Sunday March 11th featuring "The Kells" in the Social Hall. The Kells play traditional Irish music and it will be like a teen coffee house set up only everyone is invited to enjoy the music. We will serve some pizza and soft drinks too. Hope to see you all there!

Check out their Myspace page to hear their music.

http://www.myspace.com/thekellsband/music
Michael A. Barone
SJOAYM

Fish Fry, Concert ON SUNDAY, Sunday Masses

Our Music Department will be hosting the Fish Fry this Friday evening at the Parish.  We hope you will come out and enjoy some good food and fellowship and be served by those who sing/ring to the glory of God at St. Joan of Arc.

This Sunday evening St. Joan of Arc will be hosting the choir from Hamilton College in New York.  Please consider coming out to hear this 70 member choir on Sunday evening (March 11) at 7:30PM.  We are blessed to have them be the first concert in our Christian Concert Series.  We thank our Pastor, Father Raymond Larussa, for his encouragement in our beginning this Christian Concert Series.  All concerts in the series are free to the public, but a collection will be taken to support the artists and the music program at St. Joan of Arc.

On the Third Sunday of Lent (March 10/11), our Choral Mass will be at 10:45AM, we will have cantors at all other Masses, and our handbell choir will enhanse the music at the 5:30PM Sunday Evening Mass.  We hope you come out this and every Sunday to be a part of your parish community and to celebrate Holy Mass.

Something to ponder . . .

Ever wonder what it is like taking part in RCIA . . . as we approach the final weeks leading up to their receiving the sacraments of initiation . . . there is a heightened sense of anticipation and a heightened sense of preparation.

This past Sunday we discussed sin, conscience and the ten commandments. Sounds fairly straight forward and yet as I pomdered the homework assignment I wondered how members of our community would respond to the three questions that the Elect and Candidates are working on this week?

1) The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that the Christian who seeks to purify him/herself of sin and become holy with the help of God's grace is not alone. God's children are joined through Christ to the life of all other Christians in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO TO INCREASE THIS SUPERNATURAL UNITY?


2) Sin is a personal act. Bu t we have a responsibilty for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them.We cooperate by: a) participating directly and voluntarily in them; b) ordering, advising, praising, or approving them; c) not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so; and d) protecting evil-doers. Sin makes people partners of one another and causes lust, violence, and injustice. Give an example of people cooperating in the sins of others, and what you could do to end such cooperation.


3) The CCC tells us that anger is a desire for revenge. If anger reaches the point of deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound someone, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. Jesus was very angry and violent when he drove (Lk 21, 12-13) the money changers and the dove sellars from the temple precinct, calling them a "den of thieves." Was Jesus committing a sin? How do we reconcile this incident with Paul's statement that " He was like us in all things except sin."

A thought provoking challenge for us all during this Lenten season . . . your responses are welcome!

Stewardship Prepares For A Busy Year

While the weather in Lent can be tospy turvy full of cold and warms spurts, the Stewardship Committee is turning their thoughts to summer and our parish's 25th anniversary celebrations. In truth the parish is celebrating her birthday this whole calendar year. However, in July we will officially celebrate our 25 years.

In that 25 years the parish has grown by leaps and bounds. While it is certainly great to see our numbers grow, we also want to see our faith grow as well. St Joan of Arc offers numerous programs that enable parishioners to grow in their faith. Perhaps as the year marches onward you can consult the bulletin for programs that will help you and your family grow further in their Catholic faith. There could be no better feeling than celebrating the parish's birthday in July knowing that your faith is growing just like our parish.

Tom Booth Parish Lenten Mission Wrap up

Special thanks to Tom Booth and his sister Carrie Graham for the inspirational Lenten Parish Mission.
Thanks also to the 2,100 + people who attended the St. Joan of Arc Parish Lenten Mission with Tom Booth, February 25, 26, 27, & 28, 2012.  

We  especially want to acknowledge all those that made this parish mission possible.
Our clergy: Fr. Ray Larussa, Fr. Jeffrey Tigyer, and through their prayers of support; Msgr. George Schlegel, Bishop James Griffin, Deacons Tom Berg Sr., Jim Rouse, & Michael Ross.

PSR  & Youth Ministry: Emily Winner, Mary Jo Newell, Susan Fox, Laura Sams, Jeanne Hayslip, Judy Komenda, Cindy Guzak, Michael Barone, whose coordination of children and family attendance were invaluable.   

Music Ministry: Matthew Meloche, Paula Vasey, Val Galaktinov, and all music ministry volunteers for the beautiful Mass celebrations. 

Our Parish Office Staff: Elosie Carlet, Diana Zinkhon, Jean Keefe, Elizabeth Kunze, Greg Hosfeld, Gary Kimball,  David Hartline, Angie Siefring, whose behind the scene efforts kept things moving.

Planning Team & Volunteers: Greg Savoldi, Sound Engineer, Gordon Mawhinney, photographer & video productions, Tess Mawhinney CD sales, Carol, Tom, Nicole and entire Fisher Family, Phyllis Brant, Ann Bielek, Diana Burcu, Jackie Witty, Christine Jordan, Martha Daum, Mary Jones, Mary Rosato, Pete & Ellie Shears, Leon Ziolkowski, Minh Nguyen, whose unselfish donation of time and talent made our mission inviting and memorable.

Saturday morning, February 25 began with a Workshop  &

Morning of Reflection for liturgical ministers & cathechists.   

 Tom Booth and his sister Carrie Graham shared stories,
prayers and uplifting music and songs to guide parishioners into the desert of our hearts and hear God's message to each of us. 
One of the stories Tom shared involved his commission to write a song for Mother Teresa when she was alive. It was interesting to hear how Tom found the inspiration for his song Prayer of Abandonment for her. Even more interesting was Mother Teresa's response and the personal impact on Tom as result of the song years later.  


Tom Booth and parishioner, Nicole Fisher sang Sacred Silence during the Mission closing guided meditation.



The mission has come and gone, now it is up to each of us to find ways to live the message of prayer, trust and openness of heart to hear God's word.

Consider some of the many opportunities St. Joan of Arc offers. Especially helpful are the Small Faith Sharing mini series available during Lent. For more information contact Romy Riebe 614-885-9450.

Get involved with the Music Program at St. Joan of Arc

Children:
Children are invited to join one of our three musical groups for their age level!
Jr. Choristers Children's Choir - for children in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade.  Rehearsals Mondays 5:45 - 6:15PM
Choristers Children's Choir - for children in grades 3 through 8.  Rehearsals Saturdays from 3:00 - 4:00PM.
The Ringers! Children's Handbells - for children in grades 4 through 8 with an interest in handbells.  Rehearsals Thursdays from 6:00 - 7:00PM.


Teens
Faith Song, High School Band - for youth in grades 8 through 12.  Rehearsals Tuesdays from 7:30 - 8:30PM.

Adults
Adult Choir - Rehearsals on Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:45PM.
Adult Handbells - Rehearsals on Thursdays from 7:00 - 8:00PM
Cantors - rehearsals with Music Director as needed.
Resurrection Choir for Funerals - rehearsals as needed, must be available weekday mornings.

The Rite of Election

The Lenten journey has begun throughout the church . . . for RCIA, it is a time of purification and enlightenment . . . a time marked with special rites.  This past Sunday the catechumnes and candidates gathered with hundreds of other catechumens and candidates throughout the diocese at St. Paul's Church for the Rite of Election with Bishop Campbell.  

As I spoke with some who had participated in the rite  . . . there was a recurring phrase.  "It was moving" for each person in a special and unique way, the way in which God is working within them.  And it can be like that for us all as we enter anew into this journey.   THANKS BE TO GOD!

Stewardship

I would like to think of how you can best help the Church in her work. For a great many of us we can do this through a particular ministry, a certain talent that God has given you. This can be something so obvious that you can do it without giving a great deal of thought. However, sometimes God asks us to do things that might require more thought than we would like.

We are called to more suffering than we would naturally like. It would be great if suffering didn't exist, but we all know about the Fall of Man from the Garden of Eden which is how sin entered the world. Jesus Christ's death and resurrection finished death as man's final end. However, it didn't finish suffering. We are called to suffer and sometimes that can come in our daily interaction with friends and co-workers. It doesn't make it any less uncomfortable, but Jesus did tell us that if we acknowledge Him here on earth, He will acknowledge us in heaven.

This Lent think of how you can help defend the Church from those who would cause her ill will. You will receive your reward in heaven and you will be thanked by countless others, who by your defense of the faith were able to understand Christ's truths while they were here on earth.

What will you ADD for Lent this year?

This first week of Lent began with the Ash Wednesday celebrations.

It always encouraging to see so many people attend this liturgy since it is not a Holy Day of obligation. It speaks to the connection we feel for our need to be present to receive our ashes and to begin Lent with sincere intentions for renewal.

The ashes remind us we are on this earth for a short time "Remember you are dust, from dust you came to dust you shall return". We need to make each day count as in "Repent! Turn away from sin and follow the gospel". 

In the scripture readings for this weekend Jesus spends 40 days in the desert to prepare for his mission. We are also invited to enter into these 40 days of prayer, fasting and alsmgiving to prepare for our life's mission. 

The following prayer was written by Jackie Witty from one of the Tuesday Morning GIFT communities. It captures the essence of why we journey into the desert.

Restless Soul by Jackie Witty I prayed for "A" incessantly,
For lacking it was tough;
But when I got a lot of "A"
It still was not enough.

So I pursued a different need.
And staunchly prayed for "B",
But when the gift of "B" appeared,
I really wanted "C".

Oh, help me Lord, relieve my wants,
And show me how to pray!
The Lord replied, "My dearest one,
There is another way."

Instead of "A" or "B" or "C"
To make your longings cease,
Draw near as possible to me
And I will give you peace.

St. Joan of Arc has many opportunities for Lenten enrichment, begin by
Joining us for the Lenten Parish Mission with Tom Booth this weekend.  First session is on Saturday 9:00-11:00 with a Morning of Reflection, discover some new opportunities for prayer and service. Please refer to the full schedule in the parish bulletin on line.

May this Lenten season, bring each of you His peace.

Music During Lent

Today, Ash Wednesday, begins the season of Lent.

Music during Lent has a different flare from the rest of the year.  You may hear more Gregorian chant than typical.  We won't be ending Holy Mass with a Recessional Hymn, but will instead end in silence.  There may be less instrumental music than what is typically heard.  Songs may express our sorrow for our sins and the depth of our God's forgiveness more often than during the rest of the year.

Lent is a time for us to reflect on our lives and seek to bring ourselves closer to God - let the hymns that are sung during Mass lead us closer as we endeavor to live a righteous life.

On March 11th at 7:30PM we'll be holding a concert by the Hamilton College Choir from New York.  Though this will not be a "Lenten" concert, you may be inspired by the songs used at this concert during the Lenten season.  Please consider coming out and supporting your Parish Music Ministry by attending this event - it is free, but a free-will offering will be collected to support St. Joan of Arc Music.

On March 26th at 7:00PM there will be another concert - during which the Book of Jonah will be read in its entirety.  With short instrumental breaks, one will be able to reflect on the Word of God and on the message of this Book of the Bible which can certainly be a part of one's Lenten journey.  Again, the concert is free but a free-will offering will be taken up.

On Fridays throughout Lent we'll be praying the Stations of the Cross on Friday Evenings at 7:30PM.  This wonderful devotion includes singing parts of the Stabat Mater - the traditional Sequence for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  Come and join in song as we reflect on Mary, watching her Son and our Lord crucified.  Each evening will end with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament during which the traditional hymn O Salutaris and the traditional chant Tantum Ergo are sung.  There is no better way to enter into this holy season than by praying the Stations of the Cross and then being able to receive Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament!

We hope to see you at these events - be sure to check out the bulletin for further information on opportunities for spiritual growth during Lent.

Lent & Stewardship

Lent and Stewardship go hand in hand. Some might wonder how could this be; after all isn't Lent a time for reflection and withdraw, and isn't Stewardship about giving? In our Lenten period of reflection we should realize our proper role in the faith. Often we allow ego, earthly desires and societal whims to rule our lives. In Stewardship we can reverse these patterns.

Stewardship can be done through many venues, whether it be financial giving, or giving of our time and or our talent. In doing so we can connect with those we need to help. In the latter years of her life Mother Teresa heard a knock at her door; it was an American businessman who happened to be in Calcutta for business. He wanted to give her money, which he did but she told him to only give her half of what he had wanted and go home and give the other half through working with his time and talent in charitable causes close to home. Stewardship comprises many possibilities; this Lent in prayer and reflection we can figure out those possibilities to better ourselves and those around us.

Growing In Faith Together (GIFT) 'Six Degrees of Separation'

'Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person on Earth, so that a chain of, "a friend of a friend" statements can be made, on average, to connect any two people in six steps or fewer.'

Belonging to a small faith sharing community such as GIFT, can accomplish this connection with interesting results. When we share our life experiences, it becomes evident that this theory has some merit.

For example:
Patti, one of our GIFT Pastoral Faciliators has a friend whose relative works for Oprah Winfry, using this theory of six degrees of separation, provides a very specific connection. It makes our large world much more personal.

This week's Gospel reading lends itself to this theory as well. We have four men who knew about Jesus. They found out that he would be in their vacinity and reached out to him by bring the paralytic to hear Jesus. Their faith and determination to get closer resulted in Jesus acknowledging them and healing the paralytic.

If it were possible, would you like to meet Pope John Paul II or Mother Teresa? Using this theory of six degrees of separation and by attending the Parish Mission with Tom Booth this objective could be accomplished.  Tom has inspirational stories to share of his ministry. He has had the opportunity to meet and perform for John Paul II and Mother Teresa. His impressive resume includes music awards and collaborating with many nationally known Christian musicians.  

Mission Begins
Saturday, February 25, 9:00-11:00 am Workshop, Morning of Reflection & Brunch (please RSVP in narthex or call 614-761-0905)

Evening SessionsFebruary 26, 27, 7:00-8:30 pm
February 28 Closing Mass 6:15 pm w/Evening session 7:00-8:30 pm

Morning Sessions
February 27 & 28 Mass 8:30 am followed by presentation & brunch

Begin this Lenten season with a direct connection to God's holy people of our time.  Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you to expand that experience. Consider participating in the small faith sharing communities of GIFT during Lent to discover God's unique plan for your life.

For more information, please contact Romy Riebe 614-885-9450 or Pete Shears 614-888-1562.