Joel 2: 12-18; Matthew 6: 1-6

We are dust, and unto dust we shall all return. These words will be repeated today in churches throughout the world. They remind us that without God we are nothing and that without God nothing is possible. The words free us from illusions and false expectations as we prepare to journey in faith with Jesus. The readings today call us to rend our hearts and not our garments; to go to our inner room, close the door, and pray to our Father in secret. Let today’s psalm response be our prayer: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.”

O Lord, how hard it is to let go and let you lead me into the wilderness. How hard it is to believe that change is possible in my life. Show me your way, and I will follow you.

~Rev. Roger C. Gagne

The season of Lent invites us to journey with Jesus into the desert. In this wasteland of shadows and demons Jesus invites us to go with him to be alone and vulnerable. There we are confronted with our need for power, our desire for pleasure and our decisions to act irresponsibly. The devil, who is the master of deceit, has used these principles to take our souls one breath and one moment at a time.

With Jesus we allow ourselves to be tempted by the devil. We learn from Jesus that God is the source of power: “Him alone shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” He tells us that pleasure does not come from bread alone, “but from every word that comes from the mouth of God.” And when the devil tempts him to act irresponsibly, Jesus tells him, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”

With the help of Jesus and the community of believers, we will be able to leave our safe and predictable lives and focus more on God’s love and mercy than on our sins and guilt. We journey in the belief that God has a plan to save the world by his all-inclusive love of friend and enemy alike.

The prophet Simeon reminds us that this journey will be a struggle when he says to Mary, “This child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel.”  The one who allowed himself to fall and rise three times on the way to his crucifixion has removed the guilt of our failures and given us the strength to rise again and again.

When we are willing to rise from our failures and from the regions of our spent emotions, we will dare to hope that change is possible. When we refuse to confine ourselves, and others to the tomb of despair, then we will realize that nothing is beyond the power of God’s love.

There will always be the temptation to pull back, to avoid the pain and suffering of others. But like Veronica, we will not be afraid to step from the crowd to wipe the face of Jesus or not be afraid to act with compassion.

And like Peter, we will make bold promises that our hearts cannot keep. We will feel the shame of our many betrayals and weep bitterly. We will cry hosanna in one breath and in another breath cry away with him crucify him.

Our journey will lead us to Jerusalem until we realize that the only way we will leave the city is through the agony of crucifixion. We will deny, betray, and run away until at last we are alone on Holy Saturday. All we can do is rest against the huge rock that blocks the entrance of the tomb that holds the body of Jesus. We wonder how our journey could have brought us to this dead end. We have nowhere to go, and so we stay here mourning and weeping while the soldiers guarding the tomb eye us suspiciously. We sit numbly outside the tomb of the one we have followed.

None of the Gospels give us an account of the actual Resurrection. We are told only that the tomb is empty and that a woman named Mary sees Jesus in the garden. Only Mary, from whom Jesus had driven out seven demons, actually encounters him. Like Mary, we are weeping, so overwhelmed by our grief that we cannot immediately see that the stone has been rolled back, that the tomb is empty, and that the soldiers have gone. But our journey, like Mary’s, has led us through tears and struggles beyond the tomb of Jesus to the dawn of a new day.

The sun is now rising and we are filled with exhilaration as we remember all the things that have happened in these past forty days. There have been days of challenge and days of miracles and transfigurations that have sustained us on this long journey. Together with the disciples on the road to Emmaus and the millions who have journeyed in faith since that first Easter morning, we hear the words of Jesus: “How slow you are to believe. Did not the Messiah first have to suffer in order to enter into his Glory?” and like those disciples we say: “Did not our hearts burn within us as he spoke to us?” and like them we recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

It is through our long journey through cold darkness and empty desolation that we have found a deeper communion, and in the end, our beginning.

~Rev. Roger C. Gagne

Visit “Lenten Reflections” for a daily reading & reflection as we journey together through Lent

Each year the Church invites us to journey into the wilderness with Jesus. Through prayer and reflection on the daily readings of the Mass, our journey will lead us into the wilderness of our souls. In the shadows and solitude of our hearts, we will confront our demons and, like Jesus, put the devil to flight. With the help of Jesus and of our brothers and sisters, we will be able to focus more on God’s love and mercy than on our sins and guilt. Like Peter, who returned to his Lord weeping bitterly, we are called to turn away from sin and be faithful to the words of Jesus. We are called to live in the hope that God’s plan will redeem sinners by his all-inclusive love of friend and enemy alike. Courage to begin our journey comes not from feeling heroic, but from believing in the way of God.

~Rev. Roger C. Gagné

To view trailers, visit:  www.catholicismseries.com

“For the first time, in breathtaking and high-definition cinematography, the truth, goodness, and beauty of Catholicism are illustrated in a multimedia experience. Journey with Fr. Robert Barron to more than 50 locations throughout 16 countries. Be illuminated by the spiritual and artistic treasures of this global culture that claims more than one billion of the earth’s people.

From the sacred lands of Israel to the beating heart of Uganda, from the glorious shrines of Europe to the streets of Mexico, Kolkata, and New York City, the mysteries of CATHOLICISM are revealed.  Learn what Catholics believe and why.  Discover the full meaning of the faith.

Mike Leonard, a veteran NBC Today show correspondent and acclaimed filmmaker, is the Executive Producer of this groundbreaking production

Ten hours.  Ten episodes.  One Film Series.”

Lent 2012

St. Peter’s Lenten Schedule »

The season of Lent invites us to journey with Jesus into the desert. In this wasteland of shadows and demons Jesus invites us to go with him to be alone and vulnerable. There we are confronted with our need for power, our desire for pleasure and our decisions to act irresponsibly. The devil, who is the master of deceit, has used these principles to take our souls one breath and one moment at a time.

With Jesus we allow ourselves to be tempted by the devil. We learn from Jesus that God is the source of power: “Him alone shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” He tells us that pleasure does not come from bread alone, “but from every word that comes from the mouth of God.” And when the devil tempts him to act irresponsibly, Jesus tells him, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”

With the help of Jesus and the community of believers, we will be able to leave our safe and predictable lives and focus more on God’s love and mercy than on our sins and guilt. We journey in the belief that God has a plan to save the world by his all-inclusive love of friend and enemy alike.

The prophet Simeon reminds us that this journey will be a struggle when he says to Mary, “This child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel.”  The one who allowed himself to fall and rise three times on the way to his crucifixion has removed the guilt of our failures and given us the strength to rise again and again.

When we are willing to rise from our failures and from the regions of our spent emotions, we will dare to hope that change is possible. When we refuse to confine ourselves, and others to the tomb of despair, then we will realize that nothing is beyond the power of God’s love.

There will always be the temptation to pull back, to avoid the pain and suffering of others. But like Veronica, we will not be afraid to step from the crowd to wipe the face of Jesus or not be afraid to act with compassion.

And like Peter, we will make bold promises that our hearts cannot keep. We will feel the shame of our many betrayals and weep bitterly. We will cry hosanna in one breath and in another breath cry away with him crucify him.

Our journey will lead us to Jerusalem until we realize that the only way we will leave the city is through the agony of crucifixion. We will deny, betray, and run away until at last we are alone on Holy Saturday. All we can do is rest against the huge rock that blocks the entrance of the tomb that holds the body of Jesus. We wonder how our journey could have brought us to this dead end. We have nowhere to go, and so we stay here mourning and weeping while the soldiers guarding the tomb eye us suspiciously. We sit numbly outside the tomb of the one we have followed.

None of the Gospels give us an account of the actual Resurrection. We are told only that the tomb is empty and that a woman named Mary sees Jesus in the garden. Only Mary, from whom Jesus had driven out seven demons, actually encounters him. Like Mary, we are weeping, so overwhelmed by our grief that we cannot immediately see that the stone has been rolled back, that the tomb is empty, and that the soldiers have gone. But our journey, like Mary’s, has led us through tears and struggles beyond the tomb of Jesus to the dawn of a new day.

The sun is now rising and we are filled with exhilaration as we remember all the things that have happened in these past forty days. There have been days of challenge and days of miracles and transfigurations that have sustained us on this long journey. Together with the disciples on the road to Emmaus and the millions who have journeyed in faith since that first Easter morning, we hear the words of Jesus: “How slow you are to believe. Did not the Messiah first have to suffer in order to enter into his Glory?” and like those disciples we say: “Did not our hearts burn within us as he spoke to us?” and like them we recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

It is through our long journey through cold darkness and empty desolation that we have found a deeper communion, and in the end, our beginning.

~Rev. Roger C. Gagne

• You may send an email to your federal representative through the Rhode Island Catholic Conference website: Rhode Island Catholic Conference»

Visit the following links for more info:

• “Six Things Everyone Should now about the HHS Mandate” (OSV)
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops»
• Conscience Protection (USCCB) »   
  
• Faithful Citizenship» 
• Diocese of Providence»

photo by Kyle Dickson via Flickr 

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment

Ash Wednesday: February 22nd, Masses: 7:00 AM, 12:05 PM, 5:00 PM, and 6:30 PM

Wednesday Evenings of Lent: The Catholicism Series

February 29, March 7, 14, 21, & 28, 6:30 – 8:00 PM. Father Gagné will be presenting: Catholicism by Fr. John Barron, as seen on PBS. There will be coffee and discussion after each presentation. We will meet in the Crèche Room; parish administration building. Please enter by Crèche Room door.

Thursdays of Lent: February 23, March, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Mass & Holy Hour: 6:30-7:30 PM

Fridays of Lent: Holy Hour: 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, Confessions will be heard during the Holy Hour.
Stations of the Cross: 6:00 PM – Confessions will be heard after Stations

Parish Penance Service: Monday, March 26th, 6:30 – 7:30 PM – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place during this hour. Two priests will be available for individual confessions.

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Holy Week Schedule:

Chrism Mass – (blessing of the oils) at the Cathedral in Providence, Monday, April 2nd, 5:00 PM

Holy Thursday
April 5th, 7:00 PM Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Prayer at the repository until 11:00 PM

Good Friday
April 6th, 3:00 PM and 6:30 PM, Solemn Liturgy of The Lord’s Passion

Holy Saturday
April 7th, 8:00 PM Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday
April 8th, Masses: 8:00 AM, 9:30 , & 9:30 AM in the Lower church, and 11:00 AM

“Lent is like a long ‘retreat’ during which we can turn back into ourselves and listen to the voice of God, in order to defeat the temptations of the Evil One. It is a period of spiritual ‘combat’ which we must experience alongside Jesus, not with pride and presumption, but using the arms of faith: prayer, listening to the word of God and penance. In this way we will be able to celebrate Easter in truth, ready to renew the promises of our Baptism”.

~ Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI’s theme for Lent 2012 is “Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works” (Heb 10:24). Read his message for Lent.

Read More on Season of Lent from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

 Saturday, Jan 28th – 11:30AM

Your St. Peter’s family offers you our support & many prayers as you continue your spiritual journey by receiving this wonderful sacrament!

“People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but Jesus was annoyed and said to them: ‘Let the little children come to me and do not stop them.’ Then he put his arms around them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.” (Adapted from Mk: 13-16)

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“Dear Parents! I ask you to help your children to grow in faith, I ask you to accompany them on their journey towards First Communion, a journey which continues beyond that day, and to keep accompanying them as they make their way to Jesus and with Jesus.  Please, go with your children to Church and take part in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration! You will see that this is not time lost; rather, it is the very thing that can keep your family truly united and centered. Sunday becomes more beautiful, the whole week becomes more beautiful, when you go to Sunday Mass together. And please, pray together at home too: at meals and before going to bed. Prayer does not only bring us nearer to God but also nearer to one another. It is a powerful source of peace and joy. Family life becomes more joyful and expansive whenever God is there and his closeness is experienced in prayer”.

~Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, Celebration of Vespers, Cathedral of Munich, Sunday, 10 September of 2006

January 29- February 3, 2012

Theme: Faith, Academics, Service

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School Registration and Open House

Sunday, January 29 - Catholic Schools Week Mass, 11:00AM. Immediately Following Mass: Open House & Registration for the 2012/13 School Year – 12:00 Noon -2:00PM

St. Peter School students, faculty and administration would like to thank all St. Peter parishioners for their continued support and we wish you a happy, healthy and blessed New Year