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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Thank God for another wonderful spring day. After the long winter we endured, we are ready for this. We had a wonderful Rogation service with wonderful music. It was a blessing to have Nick sing the Litany, the choir and our people for the chanted responses. That was a very appropriate way start out that service. We are blessed to have our services at the Our Lady of Mercy Chapel on the campus of the the College of Saint Mary. This Saturday is the graduation ceremony for the college and our service will be moved to 11:00 am on Sunday. We need to give thanks to Lynda and CSM for working with us for our time of worship.

The Ascension of Christ is this Thursday May 18th. The Ascension of Christ led to the new evangelization given to our Apostles. This evangelization has led people to know Jesus all over this world. It has led to great churches to be built and mission churches to be started. We are one of those mission churches and our job is to preach His Gospel. This is the Great Commission that God gave us to do after Christ’s Ascension. The Ascension is about Jesus’ triumph and to get our attention off ourselves and allow the Holy Ghost to enter our souls to do this commission. God bless, Deacon

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Springtime weather in Omaha finally! Get outdoors and enjoy it!

The Sacrifice of the Lamb at the Good Friday service is a reminder of Christ’s victory of the Cross. We must never forget what our Savior did for us; His victory of love to the end. The cross was victorious for us because it bore the fruit for our salvation. During our humble service it was especially moving when Nick, Lynda, Julia, Julie and David sang the Passion according to Saint John. Thank you!

Our Easter service was befitting of a mission church to celebrate Christ’s Triumph and His Resurrection. Jesus’s Resurrection brought us a new humanity and a opportunity to share His Risen life. Father Andrew’s homily was excellent. This mission church celebrated with wonderful Easter Hymns and the offertory hymn “Come, Ye Faithful” was especially appropriate. The Regina Coeli was also sung by the choir. We are blessed to have God loving people in this mission church.

We also need to thank God for the sacrifice, His Son made for us. Deacon

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Good morning, another beautiful spring day in the 40’s today and close to 70 degrees this coming Sunday. Hallelujah! We had a lovely MP service with the distribution of the Holy Sacrament last weekend. We were blessed to chant the Venite, Psalms and the Benedictus along with our choir. What a blessing and learning experience. I especially loved the Communion Hymn chosen “O Lamb of God, Still keep me near.” James George Deck’s prayer of Thanksgiving. Father Andrews’s homily was especially appropriate for a Passion service, Thank you Father Andrews for all you do for this mission church. Father’s homily is attached.

Our Palm service this weekend is a reminder and commemoration of Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus’s path to victory started with His choice of riding on the back a donkey (a beast of burden) to go into Jerusalem. We should pray for God to give us the humility that Jesus chose. This Saturday as we transition from Lent to Holy week, we need to pray for our turbulent world. We need to pray for everyone on the St. Jude’s intercessory list, continue on your fast and abstinence, for humility, humbleness, and think about this man who was stripped naked, who endured incredible pain and yet offered us salvation through His death and Resurrection. Thank God for all the blessings He has given us, Deacon

Passion(2023)

Chesterton Student Art

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Good morning! We had a lovely Laetare (Rose) service last Saturday. The choir sang the introit, Gradual, Offertory verse, and the Communion Verse as well as our Lenten hymns. Thank you choir for making the “Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts” so special for this diocesan mission church. Something the choir did for this Rose service was the choral postlude “Stabat Mater, part IV.” That was an especially moving postlude.

As we move through this Lenten season we need to look at our spiritual progress. We need to look at how well we are praying, fasting, and almsgiving. We need to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter and not get lost to distraction in our daily lives. To Jesus, His 40 days meant the birth of a new Israel liberated from sin, reconciliation to God and a new governance by the law of the spirit. Always remember that this mission church is His and we are His humble servants. Something we rarely do is a confession to a priest. When Father Andrew’s is back, please consider doing a confession. That would be a triumph for us during this Lent. Father Andrew’s homily is attached, God bless, Deacon

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Good morning! Just a reminder that because of a conflict with our College of Saint Mary hosts, we will have the first Sunday in Lent on a Sunday instead of our normal time on Saturday. The service will be at 11 AM. It is a blessing for us to use this chapel. I met with the President of the college, Sister MaryAnne last Tuesday to show our our appreciation for being there. Saint John’s gave her framed inspired original artwork to have. She was very grateful, asked how it was done and said she would hang it on campus for others to see. Lynda came down to see the art before the meeting. Sister MaryAnne likes us, likes our music program and appreciates our work for God’s ministry.

Remember that Lent is a time to fall in love with our faith. Christ on the cross represents all of humanity and self-sacrifice, a true act of love. Saint Thomas Aquinas argues that Christ’s sacrifice was a “fitting” thing for God to do and  His way to demonstrate His love for us. Saint Thomas said that Christ’s obedient death also restores the covenant that Adam broke when he disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. A great homilist would take that and run with it. Attached is last weeks homily and the litany of humility by the KANSASMONKS.ORG.  May God bless us this Lenten season.