FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Today’s gospel sets forth the tensions of Christian life in a series of contrasts: believe—not believe, light—darkness, live in truth—do evil works. One path leads to salvation, the other to condemnation. We can believe, walk in light, and live in truth because God has loved us and sent his Son so that we might not perish but have eternal life. The whole of Christian living is a response to God’s love given in Jesus.

The Liturgy of the Word casts our Lenten penance as a contrast between dying and rising. We would naturally think of penance as a dying to self, and it is that. But it’s not only that. The positive aspect of penance is that the dying always leads to life, resurrection. We are barely halfway through Lent and we are already invited to go through Lent with the risen Christ. Even in our journey of repentance and conversion we are shown that we will be given far more than we could ever give; all we need do is come to the light and life eternal is ours. All we need to do is believe.

Of course, the real challenge is that the words of Scripture must leap from the page through proclamation into our hearts and sear so deeply that we live God’s word. In other words, we must move from paying lip service to Scripture and belief toward concrete, everyday actions that witness to our choice to come to the light: prayer, fasting, charitable works. In these concrete actions we go from dying to self to new life.


TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading—2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
God’s mercy is revealed in the liberation of the people.

Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 137
Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

Second Reading—Ephesians 2:4-10
God, who is rich in mercy, brought us to life with Christ.

Gospel—John 3:14-21
The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.


DEAR PARISHIONERS AND VISITORS,

The St. Joseph celebration last Sunday was wonderful, from Evening Prayer through dessert. Over a hundred folks enjoyed the dinner (even the bread was outstanding!) and all the desserts that were brought. Roy Spicer, Cara Iverson and Craig Morphis provided wonderful entertainment from arias, a duet, to leading a rousing That’s Amore sung by everyone. The proceeds from the evening will go to helping the folks at Villa Majella. Thank you all for the wonderful evening.

Last Friday I received a letter from the Provincial. He asked that I take on a new job as pastor of our Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Los Angeles. After reading his letter, I started wondering if I could reach Fr. Daniel Barica on the phone when suddenly the phone rang...guess who was on the line. Fr. Daniel received a letter asking him to take on a new job as pastor of Saint Barbara Parish. Fr. Dan and I will be changing places sometime in June or July. I think I can speak for both of us by saying that we regret leaving friends and leaving “work-in-progress” and that we look forward to the good people and the good work together that God is giving to us.

I thank God, the friars, and all you for the past three years here together. Although the time seems short, it was also very full. I feel like we’ve been through a lot together. I will remember you kindly in my prayers. I know I’ve offended some of you. I ask you to forgive me.

My plans for the immediate future are to continue the good work with you, enjoying each moment. During the last week of June I plan on going on a retreat and I’ll take a vacation either before or after the retreat, and then head for Los Angeles.

I am very happy that Fr. Daniel, someone you know, will be following after me. It will be a kind of coming home for him; transitions are easier with someone you know. I know that you will treasure him and the gifts he brings in his serving you.

Peace and all Good,
Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor


PARISH CALENDAR

March 28 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 30 Lenten Faith Sharing Group Meets, 10:00 AM
March 31 Religious Education Congress Begins
March 31 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
April 4 Pastoral Council Meeting at 7:00 PM
April 4 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
April 7 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon

DO YOU KNOW…A Habit of the Catholic Heart

Are we ready to say grace?” Many religious people pause to pray before they eat. Christians do this also. The English word we have for this prayer is “grace”—the same word we use to speak of the way God’s love is given to us freely, given without any earning it on our part.

“Grace” comes easily from a Latin word, gratia, a word many know from the close Spanish word, gracias. This simple word is trying to get hold of what is best in the human spirit. It is that spontaneous “thanks” that is our response to a kindness, some good word or deed with which another person blesses us.

So at table we say grace, we give thanks. Hunger brings us back to the table—even when there’s no table at all—and before we take nourishment, we go hungry a moment longer while we give thanks.

What is done before eating is just one tiny moment of what’s the deepest Catholic habit. We want “grace” all the time, morning and night, even in hard times. We are a “thanks saying” people. It comes with the territory. We’re shaped in giving thanks by the obligation we have to gather at the church’s table every Sunday and make the eucharistic, the thanks-giving, prayer before we feast on the Body and Blood of the Lord.

We’re baptized to be Christ’s body giving God thanks all the days of our life, being the voice of creation whether we feel like it or not, whether the times are good or awful (thanks can leave lots of room for lament). This is no easy “Hey, thanks a lot!” It is rather the total thanks of those who have been shaped by Christ’s passion and death in God’s merciful love for the world.


LENT – THE HOLY SEASON OF RENEWAL

“Each year, you give us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery with mind and heart renewed. You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you, our God, and of willing service to our neighbor.”


LENTEN OBSERVANCES

All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. Good Friday is a day of Fast and Abstinence. All Catholics 14 years of age and older abstain from meat, and all Catholics 18 to 59 years of age eat sacrificially on these days.

EASTER PURIFICATION and ENLIGHTENMENT
Communal Reconciliation

Tuesday, April 11
7:00 PM in the Church

THE SACRED THREE DAYS - THE TRIDUUM

HOLY THURSDAY—APRIL 13

7:30 AM Morning Prayer (no Mass)
7:00 PM Mass of the Lord’s Supper

GOOD FRIDAY—APRIL 14

7:30 AM Morning Prayer (no Mass)
12:00 Noon Outdoor Stations of the Cross
3:00 PM Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion

HOLY SATURDAY—APRIL 15

7:30 AM Morning Prayer (no Mass)
(No 4:00 PM Mass)
8:00 PM Glorious Easter Vigil

EASTER SUNDAY—APRIL 16

Masses of the Lord’s Resurrection
7:30 AM • 9:00 AM • 10:30 AM • 12:00 Noon

TAIZE PRAYER AROUND THE CROSS

Taizé prayer around the cross takes place each Tuesday during Lent at 6:30 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This type of contemplative prayer and song leads us to God in and through the image of Christ crucified.

PRAYING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Stations of the Cross are prayed each Friday during Lent at 12:00 Noon. Join us as we recall and meditate on Jesus’ journey from his condemnation to his burial in the tomb.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES LENTEN FOOD DRIVE

As we continue the season of Lent—a time of fasting, almsgiving and praying—we ask everyone to join in our Catholic Charities Lenten food drive. Especially needed during this time are canned meats that give families needed nutrients. Each parish family is encouraged to bring canned food on Sundays during Lent. We remember our call to provide for those who are lacking the basics, acknowledging our relationship as sisters and brothers in Christ and the image of Christ found among all.


HELP THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Each year during the forty days of Lent, we are asked to forgo an occasional meal and to put money we would have spent on the meal in a Community Kitchen collection box as a donation toward keeping Santa Barbara hunger free. The Community Kitchen annually cooks more than 110,000 free hot meals for the hungry and homeless. In addition, free nutritious meals are provided to children’s after school programs for low-income families. Personal donation boxes are at the back of the church for you to take home.


LET US PRAY FOR THE SICK

Joan Biasetti
Rose Margaret Braiden
Mary Ann Jenquin
Zoe Kazali
Anne Lano
Diane Parsons
Joyce Patterson

May they find strength and comfort in our prayers


CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Catholic Charities Psychological Services offers individual, marriage and family counseling in English and Spanish by licensed therapists. There is a sliding scale fee based on income. For more information, please call all (805) 965-7045 x102 for English; Spanish speakers or bilingual call 965-7045 x114.

SAY “HELLO” TO OUR NEWEST PARISHIONERS

Rita Draper
Mary C. Looker
Robert F. Castor

ATTENTION EUCHARITIES MINISTERS AND LECTORS

A new Ministry Schedule for April 1—May 31 is now available. Please pick up your copy in the Sacristy, the Parish Office or the Porter’s Office.

“A SPIRITUALITY FOR ALL OF REALITY”

Fr. Virgil Cordano has written a new book entitled, “A Spirituality for All of Reality.” It is a collection of various talks, invocations, reflections, quotations, etc., that he has given over many years. The book is available in the Serra Shop for $15.

TENOR AND BASS CHORAL POSITIONS AVAILABLE

The Music Ministry of St. Barbara Parish is currently seeking experienced singers for paid choral positions. Auditions are being held for Tenor and Bass Choral Scholars. Qualified applicants should possess strong musical skills, vocal training, and be available for weekly rehearsals, Sunday Masses and major feast and holy days. For more information and to schedule an audition, please contact Roy Spicer, Director of Music, 682-4713 ext 144.

USHERS … PLEASE TAKE NOTE

We need your help at the Easter Masses, the most-attended Masses of the year! Sign-up sheets can be found in the ushers’ closet. Please sign up today.

OFFICE CLOSURE

The Parish Offices will be closed on Friday, March 31st, so that the staff may attend the Religious Education Congress. This closure will not have any effect on the 7:30 AM daily Mass.


REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

In next Sunday’s gospel Jesus speaks of real resurrection. And he tells his followers that the only way to come to this life of glory is by dying. The image of the gain of wheat offers a powerful example of this reality. A single seed is limited and alone. But if the seed dies to its present state, it will grow into a stalk filled with seeds. The message for us is that the present is good, but because Christ has brought an end to death through his own death and resurrection, we can look forward to a future that will be far more than our limited lives here and now.

LIFE FOCUS

- Relate a time when you lost out, but were later strengthened by this experience.

- Describe an experience in your life when seeds fell fruitlessly but later blossomed.

- What struggles have you let go? To what struggles do you surrender?

- Whose life and struggles encourage you?

PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51
Second Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9
Gospel Reading: John 12:20-33

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Sunday, March 19th $8,971.00

Thank you for your continuing generosity. Don’t forget to use your envelopes!

TRAVELING? DON’T FORGET TO GO TO MASS!

For nationwide Mass times and locations, please visit www.MassTimes.org.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

Today’s gospel is a familiar one about Jesus throwing the money changers out of the Temple. Here the controversy is between Jesus and those who sought to make profit in God’s house. Jesus is clear about his “Father’s house” being a place of prayer and covenant, a place where God dwells. But the dramatic action of Jesus—driving out the merchants and money changers—is not the most shocking feature of today’s gospel. Not only does Jesus cleanse the Temple, he declares that he himself replaces it. The place of God’s presence among people is no longer a building but the “temple of his body.”

Through baptism our own bodies are made temples of God, and by the ritual washing and anointing we are plunged into a pattern of dying and rising which identifies us with Christ. Our Lenten penitential practices (prayer, fasting and almsgiving) are our concrete ways to enter into this dying and rising mystery of Christ. Like Christ, we become living signs of God’s love and fidelity. The witness of our lives is a living sign of our covenantal relationship with God, a relationship of love and mercy. Probably most of us won’t take whips to church with us. But we can examine our own ways of relating to others and make sure that our priorities are straight: worship God above all and respect ourselves and others as temples of the Holy Spirit.

May we ever grow in being the living temple of God, witnessing God’s love and mercy.

May we be consumed with zeal for God and express it by faithful prayer, fasting and charity.


TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading—Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
God gives the law through Moses.

Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 19
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

Second Reading—1 Corinthians 1:22-25
We proclaim Christ crucified.

Gospel—John 2:13-25
Many began to believe in Jesus’ name when they saw the signs he was doing.


DEAR PARISHIONERS AND VISITORS,

Lent is at its half-way point…perhaps it’s a good time to renew our prayer in preparation for Easter. Together we pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 12:00 noon in the Church, and on Tuesdays we gather for Taizé Prayer at 6:30 PM in the Eucharist Chapel. Daily Mass is at 7:30 AM in the Eucharist Chapel. Please mark your calendars for our Communal Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance Liturgy) on Tuesday, April 11th at 7:00 PM. Reading the Passion of St. John’s gospel or just quietly meditating on the cross is something we can all do at home. In giving alms, you can bring food for the Catholic Charities food drive.

Speaking of alms…I am very pleased with the number of pledges made toward our goal for the 2006 Together In Mission appeal. These funds will go directly to help parishes and Catholic schools in our Archdiocese who cannot support themselves. Your generosity means so very much to the folks in need, especially the children. Thank you.

As you have seen reported in the press, attorneys for the Franciscan Friars and attorneys for the plaintiffs in the child abuse cases have reached a settlement. We hope this will be a concrete step in reparation and healing of the injury done by Franciscans. Let me say that I am just the pastor of St. Barbara parish and I don’t have any “inside” information. Personally I hope that now the victims and the friars can move toward the future with hope. Certainly in an uncertain financial future, another concern for the province will be how we can care for our senior friars. Angelica Jochim has been named “Pastoral Outreach Coordinator” by the province. That means she is available to individual parishioners and groups of parishioners who experience a need to talk through these recent events and their impact on us. Her toll-free number is 800-770-8013.

In the meanwhile, the tune and words to “Side by Side” keep floating through my head. It would probably be inappropriate for Mass, but it is good to walk “side by side” with you. Happy St. Joseph’s Day!

Peace and all Good,
Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor


PARISH CALENDAR


March 21 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 23 Lenten Faith Sharing Group Meets, 10:00 AM
March 24 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
March 28 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 30 Lenten Faith Sharing Group Meets, 10:00 AM
March 31 Religious Education Congress Begins
March 31 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
April 4 Pastoral Council Meeting at 7:00 PM


CHRISTIAN INITIATION

At the 9:00 AM Mass today, we celebrate the Penitential Rite with Eric Friedman and Sascha Fahrbach, our baptized candidates preparing for receipt of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist during the Easter Season. The candidates and their sponsors, Ken Allen and Tad Carter, and all of us in the larger liturgical assembly, participate in this celebration of the Penitential Rite. This Rite helps to prepare Eric and Sascha to celebrate for the first time the Sacrament of Penance.


DO YOU KNOW…

Stations of the Cross

There is something in us that moves us to visit the scene where an important event occurred. Visitors flock to the Ford Theater to stand where President Lincoln was assassinated; mourners visit the site of the Oklahoma City bombing and the site of the Twin Towers in New York City. So it was for the early Christians who greatly desired to journey to Jerusalem and to see with their own eyes the places where Jesus lived, suffered and died. The traditional sites of the Lord’s passion soon became popular stopping places; even today the Via Dolorosa is included in most pilgrims’ itineraries.

Because not everyone was able to visit Jerusalem, pilgrims brought back stories and images of what they had seen for those who remained at home. Eventually shrines that focused on the passion and death of the Lord appeared all over Europe. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, increased emphasis on the suffering of the Messiah, coupled with the fervor of the Franciscan friars, led to widespread acceptance of a devotion that traced the footsteps of Jesus from his trial to his tomb.

But it was more than curiosity that caused this devotion to flourish. Prayers that emphasized Jesus’ obedience unto death, sorrow for sin, and God’s abiding love and mercy were at the heart of it. The stations of the cross are still a valuable resource for prayer, especially during Lent, with its twofold emphasis on baptismal renewal and penitential acts.

Essential to this devotion, whether prayed by an individual or a group, is meditation on the passion of the Lord in spoken and sung prayer, and movement from one station to the next. Ideally, everyone walks in procession to each station, uniting ourselves in our bodies to the Lord’s passion and death.

The number of stations has varied widely over the centuries. Recent revisions by Pope John Paul II by have omitted stations not included in the scriptures, and added stations that are, such as Jesus praying in the Garden of Olives, the denial of Jesus by Peter and Jesus’ promise to the good thief. Frequently, a fifteenth station depicting the resurrection of Jesus is added to illustrate the fullness of the paschal mystery.


LET US PRAY FOR THE SICK

Joan Biasetti
Mary Ann Jenquin
Zoe Kazali
Anne Lano
Diane Parsons
Joyce Patterson

May they find strength and comfort in our prayers.


LENT – THE HOLY SEASON OF RENEWAL

“Each year, you give us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery with mind and heart renewed. You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you, our God, and of willing service to our neighbor.”


LENTEN OBSERVANCES

All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. Good Friday is a day of Fast and Abstinence. All Catholics 14 years of age and older abstain from meat, and all Catholics 18 to 59 years of age eat sacrificially on these days.


PRAYING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday during Lent at 12:00 Noon. Join us as we recall and meditate on Jesus’ journey from his condemnation to his burial in the tomb.


CATHOLIC CHARITIES LENTEN FOOD DRIVE

As we prepare to enter the season of Lent—a time of fasting, almsgiving and praying—we ask everyone to join in our Catholic Charities Lenten food drive. Especially needed during this time are canned meats that give families needed nutrients. Each parish family is encouraged to bring canned food on Sundays during Lent. We remember our call to provide for those who are lacking the basics, acknowledging our relationship as sisters and brothers in Christ and the image of Christ found among all.

HELP THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Each year during the forty days of Lent, we are asked to forgo an occasional meal and to put money we would have spent on the meal in a Community Kitchen collection box as a donation toward keeping Santa Barbara hunger free. The Community Kitchen annually cooks more than 110,000 free hot meals for the hungry and homeless. In addition, free nutritious meals are provided to children’s after school programs for low-income families. Personal donation boxes are at the back of the church for you to take home.


TAIZE PRAYER AROUND THE CROSS

Taizé prayer around the cross takes place each Tuesday during Lent at 6:30 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This type of contemplative prayer and song leads us to God in and through the image of Christ crucified.


FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH

St. Barbara Parish will celebrate St. Joseph’s Feast Day today with evening prayer at 5:30 PM in the church, followed by a simple pasta dinner and St. Joseph’s Table filled with desserts at Serra Hall. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $7.00 per person and are available outside the church after Mass. Everyone is encouraged to bake delights to be sold at the St. Joseph’s Table and to bring them with you to the dinner. All proceeds will go to charity.


POLISH MASS

Polish spoken Mass will be conducted on March 25th at 6:15 PM in the Holy Cross Church. Mass will be celebrated by Father Bogdan Molenda, Pastor of Our Lady of Bright Mount Church in Los Angeles. Tea will be served after Mass. All are welcome.


MARCH FOR JUSTICE

Join faith communities and supporters of immigrants at De La Guerra Plaza at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 25th, to march in opposition of HR 4437, an unjust piece of legislation that is the most harmful immigration bill in years.4437 would criminalize organizations and individuals assisting undocumented immigrants, including charities and churches, criminalizes undocumented immigration status, would grant authority to local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration laws, and will authorize a wall along the US/Mexico border. The march will end at Alameda Park (Anacapa and Sola).

Please join the local movement for immigrant rights. Communities of faith throughout the country are standing up against this unjust legislation. March is in coordination with other marches throughout the United States scheduled on this day. 4437 will be debated by the full Senate on March 27th.


IN HONOR OF CESAR E. CHAVEZ

The sixth annual Mass in honor of the life of Cesar E. Chavez will take place at 3:30 PM on Sunday, March 26th, at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. Bishop Gabino Zavala will be the main celebrant.


MINISTRY WORKSHOPS

All current Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and those interested in becoming ministers are asked to sign up to attend one of the following workshops:

Eucharistic Ministers: Tue, March 21, 7:00 PM—9:00 PM
Lectors: Thurs, March 23, 6:30 PM—9:30 PM

Workshops will take place in the Parish Social Room. Please contact Laura in the Parish Office to reserve your place.


ALWAYS OUR CHILDREN

The Catholic support group for parents of gay and lesbian children from the Santa Barbara and Ventura area meets on the fourth Monday of every other month. The next meeting will be on Monday, March 27th, at 7:30 PM. This is a safe and comfortable environment where you can ask questions and share your feelings and fears. The meetings are informal and confidential. For more information, please call Kathie and Joe Schneider at (805) 687-4338.


“A NIGHT TO REMEMBER”

Notre Dame School Auction
Honoring Bishop Thomas Curry
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Bacara Resort

The 2006 auction theme of “A Night to Remember” will offer an elegant setting for an irresistible silent auction and exciting live auction featuring unique items and packages from local businesses, as well as student arts and crafts projects. Tickets for the event are $75.00 per person and include dinner. For more information, please contact Joan Gilles at 965-1033.

TOGETHER IN MISSION ANNUAL APPEAL

Together In Mission is our opportunity to reach beyond our own parish boundaries and come together as a spiritual family to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who are most in need, in support of 32 parishes and 46 schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Many thanks to those who have already responded with either one-time donations or pledges. If you have not yet made a donation or pledge to Together In Mission, please prayerfully consider doing so. Pledge cards are available on the table in the back of the church.


STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Sunday, March 12th $11,496.00
Collection for the Universal Church $1,062.00

Thank you for your continuing generosity.
Don’t forget to use your envelopes!


PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

First Reading: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 137
Second Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10
Gospel Reading: John 3:14-21


REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD
Fourth Sunday of Lent

When John speaks of Jesus being lifted up on the cross, he refers to more than Jesus’ death. This lifting up is the whole sweep of Jesus coming from and returning to his father: life, death, being raised from the tomb, being exalted over the whole world. The reference to the serpent Moses raised in the desert is the story we hear in our first reading. The Israelites, bitten by the serpents as a result of their grumbling in the desert, are cured by looking on the image of their woundedness. In the same way, Jesus has taken on our humanity and will bring healing and eternal life through his death and glorification. The very life and love of God can be seen and touched in the only Son, lifted up for us.

LIFE FOCUS

- Relate an experience when you felt light and/or love.
- Talk of one experience when you believed in God’s love for you.
- In the next two weeks, what would help you become more alive?

TRAVELING? DON’T FORGET TO GO TO MASS!

For nationwide Mass times and locations, please visit www.MassTimes.org.

GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call Laura in the Parish Office (682-4151). Please contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Jesus commands his disciples to tell no one of the transfiguration until “the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” Here is the key. Here is what we know: death leads to glory, to life! The glory of the transfiguration cannot be told without allusion to the coming death of Jesus (“risen from the dead”). At the same time, the discipline of our Lenten penance is not undertaken without an eye to Easter joy. This is the heart of the paschal mystery: death always leads to glory.

The hard part of our Lenten journey is the dying to self. We like to hold onto our selfishness and self-centeredness. We don’t like to admit that we are less than perfect. It is easy to find fault with others. Dying to self calls us to surrender ourselves to God, to be obedient even as Abraham was, to be willing to sacrifice everything, even our own future. Only when we embrace such a total surrender can we even begin to fathom the glory of the mountaintop.

Lent is our time in the desert, to face our temptations and open ourselves to the Spirit who is always present to us to guide us and comfort us. If we journey well and purposefully, when we come to the glory of Easter morning we will see that the journey has brought us a joy that far outweighs any personal sacrifices we might have made along the way. But the best thing of all is that as we embrace conversion, we ourselves begin to take on the glow of the transfigured Christ. That glow is our gift to each other this Lent which encourages all of us along the way.


TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading—Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky.

Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 116
I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Second Reading—Romans 8:31b-34
If God is for us, who can be against us? It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?

Gospel—Mark 9:2-10
This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

DEAR PARISHIONERS AND VISITORS,

Last Tuesday evening, the Santa Barbara City Council passed the Living Wage Ordinance, joining other cities in our state and in our nation in assuring that people who work in our cities receive a just and fair compensation for their work. St. Francis directed that the friars should work, but said that they should not accept any money for their labor. Some commentators have noted that in Francis’ day, money was made by several different wealthy nobles and the coin was usually worth less than its value. And so Francis’ insistence that the friars be paid “in kind” was one way of assuring they received fair compensation for their work. Apparently other folks, seeing what the friars were doing, followed suit. It was the equivalent of a 12th century union, but you get the idea. Pat Sandall and Carol Parkus have been very involved with the ecumenical group, CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice), and we can be proud of their work.

The Bishops of the U.S. have been working for justice in another area—the area of Immigration Reform—and Cardinal Mahony spoke eloquently to the issue and HR 4437 last Ash Wednesday. The Bishops have committed to advocate for just immigration laws by recognizing the value and dignity of immigrant people. Please keep this concern in your prayers. Here is one that might be helpful to you…

King of all creation.
Blessed are You, Lord God,
Through Your goodness, we live in this land
that You have so richly blessed.
Help us always to recognize our
Blessings come from You
and remind us to share them
with others, especially those who come
to us today from other lands.
Help us to be generous, just, and welcoming,
as You have been and are generous to us.

I look forward to our St. Joseph’s Day celebration of dinner and prayer next Sunday, March 19. Check the bulletin for the details, and please join in the celebration of St. Joseph, Patron of the whole church.

Lastly I express our thanks to Fr. Gavin Griffith, OFM for our Parish Mission. He’s given those who attended a lot to think about and to celebrate in their lives.

Peace and all Good,
Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor


PARISH CALENDAR

March 14 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 17 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
March 19 Feast of St. Joseph Celebrated
March 21 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 24 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
April 4 Pastoral Council Meeting at 7:00 PM



DO YOU KNOW…?
Experiencing Hunger

In fasting we voluntarily accept a state of hunger which millions of our brothers and sisters are forced to accept every day of their often all too brief lives. Fasting is thus a privileged entry into the experience of a vast portion of the human family with whom we seldom associate. In sharing their experience we come to an understanding of their plight unavailable to those who simply think about the sufferings of the poor. We might even say that this experiential knowledge makes all other knowledge seem like blindness about their world.

The season of Lent is a time of coming to fresh clarity about the responsibilities which we accept at baptism. The man born blind and given vision by Jesus almost immediately found himself in trouble as a result of his new sight and its source. Those who willingly accept the hungers of the poor will undoubtedly be led to address the needs of their brothers and sisters. Thus the connection between fasting and alms.

Fasting, however, is not just a way to raise social consciousness. It is a trigger which brings us to new thankfulness for the gifts God has given us and which Christ asks us to share that we might embody our communion with all God’s children.

What does it feel like to be truly hungry and thirsty?


THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WELCOMES YOU!

Are you thinking about returning to actively practicing your faith? If you are a Catholic who has been away from the Church, know you are in our prayers. We invite you to explore your faith and your future with the Catholic Church. Please contact the Parish Office for more info.


CHRISTIAN INITIATION

Today at the 9:00 AM Mass we celebrate the Rite of Call to Continuing Conversion for Eric Friedman and Sascha Fahrbach. Based on the testimony given by the sponsors and our support of their readiness for the sacraments, Fr. Richard recognizes, in this Rite, the desire of the baptized candidates for the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist within the Catholic community. We pray for Eric and Sascha, and catechumen and candidates everywhere, that God deepen their understanding and commitment through this Lenten period of preparation.


LENT – THE HOLY SEASON OF RENEWAL

“Each year, you give us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery with mind and heart renewed. You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you, our God, and of willing service to our neighbor.”


TAIZE PRAYER AROUND THE CROSS

Taizé prayer will resume on Tuesday, March 14th, at 6:30 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This type of contemplative prayer and song leads us to God in and through the image of Christ crucified.


PRAYING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday during Lent at 12:00 Noon. Join us as we recall and meditate on Jesus’ journey from his condemnation to his burial in the tomb.



CATHOLIC CHARITIES LENTEN FOOD DRIVE

As we prepare to enter the season of Lent—a time of fasting, almsgiving and praying—we ask everyone to join in our Catholic Charities Lenten food drive. Especially needed during this time are canned meats that give families needed nutrients. Each parish family is encouraged to bring canned food on Sundays during Lent. We remember our call to provide for those who are lacking the basics, acknowledging our relationship as sisters and brothers in Christ and the image of Christ found among all.


HELP THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Each year during the forty days of Lent, we are asked to forgo an occasional meal and to put money we would have spent on the meal in a Community Kitchen collection box as a donation toward keeping Santa Barbara hunger free. The Community Kitchen annually cooks more than 110,000 free hot meals for the hungry and homeless. In addition, free nutritious meals are provided to children’s after school programs for low-income families. Personal donation boxes are at the back of the church for you to take home.

FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH

St. Barbara Parish will be celebrating St. Joseph’s Feast Day on Sunday, March 19th, with evening prayers at 5:30 in the church, followed by a simple pasta dinner and St. Joseph’s Table filled with desserts at Serra Hall. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $7.00 per person and are available outside the church after Mass. Everyone is encouraged to bake delights to be sold at the St. Joseph’s Table and to bring them with you to the dinner. All proceeds will go to charity.


MINISTRY TO THE SICK AND HOMEBOUND

If someone you know is not able to come to Mass, or would like a minister to take Communion to their home, please call the Parish Office to make arrangements. Also, with the permission of the person who is ill, we are happy to include their name in the Prayer of the Faithful and list it in the bulletin.

One Human Family—Caring for Those in Need

Today we will have a special collection for the Universal Church. In more than 99 countries worldwide, Catholic Relief Services focuses on improving the lives of those in need by working with local communities and partners overseas in agriculture, community health, education, peace building, and much more. Please give generously.


LET US PRAY FOR THE SICK

Joan Biasetti
Mary Ann Jenquin
Zoe Kazali
Anne Lano
Diane Parsons
Joyce Patterson

May they find strength and comfort in our prayers.

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Sunday, March 5, 2006 $11,067.16

Thank you for your continuing generosity. Don’t forget to use your envelopes!


MINISTRY WORKSHOPS

All current Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and those interested in becoming ministers are asked to sign up to attend one of the following workshops:

Eucharistic Ministers: Tue, March 21, 7:00 PM—9:00 PM

Lectors: Thurs, March 23, 6:30 PM—9:30 PM

All workshops will take place in the Parish Social Room. Please contact Laura in the Parish Office to reserve your place.

TOGETHER IN MISSION ANNUAL APPEAL

Together In Mission is our opportunity to reach beyond our own parish boundaries and come together as a spiritual family to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who are most in need, in support of 32 parishes and 46 schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The theme of the campaign is “Blessed is the one who has regard for the...poor” (Psalm 41:2). Together In Mission provides an opportunity to show our concern for those served by the parishes and schools that need your financial support.

Many thanks to those who have already responded with either one-time donations or pledges. If you have not yet made a donation or pledge to Together In Mission, please prayerfully consider doing so. Pledge cards are available on the table in the back of the church.

THANK YOU, SAINT BARBARA PARISH

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and the clients of Casa Esperanza Homeless Center, thank you for responding to our holiday season appeal with your generous gift in the amount of $1,000…Because of your compassion, generosity and belief in our mission, lives are being saved and transformed every day at Casa Esperanza.”

Sincerely,

Michael J. Foley
Executive Director

David L. Peri
Board of Directors

“Thank you for your recent gift of $3,398.00 to the Franciscan Missionary Union. Your generosity helps the Franciscans to serve the needs of the church and the world, and it’s an important witness to the goodness of God. May the example of Saint Francis and the guidance of the Holy spirit help us all to be instruments of God’s peace.”

Yours in Christ and Saint Francis,
Brother John Summers, O.F.M.

CERTIFIED NURSE AIDES NEEDED

Certified Nurse Aides needed to care for infirm and elderly Franciscan Friars at the Old Mission. Immediate need is for night shift (10:00 PM-6:00 AM) every Friday & Saturday. Other shifts may be available. Please contact the Clinical Director, Anita Pivato, RN at 687-0609 for more info.

“A NIGHT TO REMEMBER”

Notre Dame School Auction
Honoring BishopThomas Curry
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Bacara Resort

The 2006 auction theme of “A Night to Remember” will offer an elegant setting for an irresistible silent auction and exciting live auction featuring unique items and packages from local businesses, as well as student arts and crafts projects. Tickets for the event are $75.00 per person and include dinner. For more information, please contact Joan Gilles at 965-1033.


PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

First Reading: Exodus 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Gospel Reading: John 2:13-25


REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORK THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

In John’s gospel, one of the first things Jesus does as he begins his work is to drive the money-changers out of the temple. His life and his work that follows are summed up in the statement, “Zeal for my Father’s house consumes me.” Everything Jesus does is based on the loving relationship he has with his Father. Here his actions express his desire to purify the relationship of the children of Israel with the God who called them into covenant. Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus will invite others into the relationship he shares with the Father.

LIFE FOCUS

- When have you felt so strongly about a person or cause that you acted on his/her/its behalf?
- Speak of an experience when you were upset with the Church. How did you deal with it?
- What actions and attributes need to die in you so you can come to Easter?

TRAVELING? DON’T FORGET TO GO TO MASS!

For nationwide Mass times and locations, please visit www.MassTimes.org.

GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call the Parish Office. Contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

The first Sunday of Lent begins with Mark’s account of Jesus’ first recorded words: “The reign of God is at hand. Repent and believe.” This sets the agenda for Lent. Essentially, Lent is about conversion: repenting and turning away from evil. Repentance, which is a total turning of oneself away from evil and toward God, leads to believing, which is a way of embracing God and living in God’s reign. In a real sense, repenting and believing are partners for anyone seriously living the gospel. The challenge, of course, is to make repenting and believing more than words on a page—they must become a way of life for us.

Historically, Lent is a season of final, intense preparation for initiation sacraments. The whole Church joins in a conversion process with those to be baptized or make their profession of faith. Lent is conversion and journey; its goal is a renewed sense of our identity as daughters and sons of God. Lent, then, is a time for us to assess our baptismal, covenantal relationship with God. It is our time to face evil and choose to live in righteousness. By so doing, we—the Christ—proclaim by our lives that the “reign of God is at hand.” Living the paschal mystery calls us to die to the sin within us so that we can rise to the life given to us in baptism.

May we have courage to name and confront evil and grow in our relationship with God.

May we pray for, encourage, and strengthen those preparing for baptism or profession of faith.

Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths. - Psalm 25:4


THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WELCOMES YOU!

Are you thinking about returning to actively practicing your faith? If you are a Catholic who has been away from the Church, know you are in our prayers. We invite you to explore your faith and your future with the Catholic Church. Please contact the Parish Office for more info.


TODAY’S READINGS

First Reading—Genesis 9:8-15
God establishes a covenant with Noah and with every living creature.

Responsorial Psalm—Psalm 25
Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

Second Reading—1 Peter 3:18-22
The water of the flood prefigured baptism, which saves you now.

Gospel—Mark 1:12-15
This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand.


DEAR PARISHIONERS,

William Bausch tells a personal story from his childhood…

When I was a kid we used to call Old Johnny a bum behind our parents’ backs. Every day Old John would happen to drop in the back of my father’s bakery shop. Hi, Charlie!” he’d always say and my Dad, looking up from his work, would greet him back. Old John always managed to look as if he just “happened” to be passing by—at lunch time—and was intending to go on further but my dad would always say, “John, we just happen to have some left-over buns. Would you stay and have some with us?”

And Old John’s standard response was, “Well, Charlie, I’ve had plenty to eat already but, like yourself, I hate to see good food go to waste.” Then he’d stay and have some buns and coffee with my dad, passing along the local gossip. Even as a kid I was awed by this little daily drama and that they were both conning one another. I often wanted to protest and say, “Hey, Dad, I heard you say you were putting aside some buns and bread for Old John ‘cause he would be coming by soon”—but I always held my tongue.

But one summer day after Old John had left, I finally asked my dad why he just didn’t come out and say, “Hello, John, looking for a free lunch again? I have it ready for you.” I have never forgotten my father’s response. He said, “Well, son, it might hurt John’s feelings to say that. And then I could begin to think that he’s in my debt. The poor are their own gift to us and we owe them?” He said no more.

Do people talk like that?

Last year the American Film Institute revealed the top 50 heroes of all time—at least in the 100 years of film history. Atticus Finch, portrayed by Gregory Peck in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” was chosen. A deeply principled attorney, Atticus tells his children, “You never know someone, until you step inside their skin and walk around a little.” Principles may be wonderful to see on the screen, but do people talk like that?

Our gospel says that when Jesus was in the wasteland for forty days he was with the wild beasts. Is he still? Will prayer, almsgiving and fasting tame the wild beasts we live among? I don’t know. We are called to believe the gospel…to do the noble deed.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Richard Juzix, O.F.M., Pastor


PARISH CALENDAR

March 5-8 Parish Mission with Fr. Gavin Griffith (please see the enclosed flier)
March 10 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
March 14 Taizé Prayer Around the Cross, 6:30 PM
March 17 Stations of the Cross at 12:00 Noon
March 19 Feast of St. Joseph Celebrated (see detail on page 6)


DO YOU KNOW…Lent—A Sense of the Season

The word Lent means springtime. This word comes from the same root as lengthen. Daytime lengthens during Lent. The northern hemisphere turns toward the sun, the source of life, and winter turns into spring. In Hebrew, the word for repentance is the same as the word that means to turn, like the turning of the earth to the sun, like the turning of the soil before planting.

“Even now, says the Lord, turn to me.” (Joel 2:12) The word sin means separation. We are called to turn from our separate selves, from our sin, to come together in community. Self-denial is the way we express our repentance. In the lengthening brightness from Ash Wednesday until Holy Thursday afternoon, our holy Lent, we turn to God as our source of life.

Self-denial is threefold, advises Matthew’s gospel. We pray: “Go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private.” We fast: “No one must see you are fasting but your Father.” We give alms: “Keep your deeds of mercy secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” Through the Lenten exercise of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we spring-clean our lives, sharpen our senses, put tomorrow in its place and treasure the day at hand.

Why are there forty days in Lent? It took forty days for sinfulness to drown in the flood before a new creation could inherit the earth. It took forty years for the generation of slaves to die before the freeborn could enter the promised land. For forty days Moses and Elijah and Jesus fasted and prayed to prepare themselves for a life’s work.

At the beginning of Lent the bishop calls out the names of the catechumens who seek to be baptized at Easter. Their names are written in the book of the elect, the chosen. God has chosen them, and they have chosen to turn to God. Lent is the forty days before the baptism of the catechumens. The already baptized can share the excitement and the struggles of the elect and rediscover the meaning of baptism in their own lives. During the forty days, both catechumens and the faithful journey together to the holy font.

We keep Lent together. We put aside our business-as-usual to support each other in prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We turn to God to enlighten us and purify us throughout the lengthening brightness of our holy season of Lent.

“For now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!”


LENT – THE HOLY SEASON OF RENEWAL

“Each year, you give us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery with mind and heart renewed. You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you, our God, and of willing service to our neighbor.”


LENTEN OBSERVANCES

All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. Good Friday is a day of Fast and Abstinence. All Catholics 14 years of age and older abstain from meat, and all Catholics 18 to 59 years of age eat sacrificially on these days.

PRAYING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday during Lent at 12:00 Noon. Join us as we recall and meditate on Jesus’ journey from his condemnation to his burial in the tomb.

LENTEN FAITH SHARING GROUPS

Last week our parish began a six-week Lenten small group process developed by Joan Chittister, OSB. The series is entitled, “Blessed Are You: Overcoming Evil with Good.” Sessions are offered at 10:00 AM and again at 7:00 PM each Thursday. Topics include:

The Roots of Personal Evil
The Roots of Institutional Evil
Overcoming Evil
Evil Transformed

Please see the sign-up board outside the church today.


FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH

St. Barbara Parish will be celebrating St. Joseph’s Feast Day on Sunday, March 19th, with evening prayers at 5:30 in the church, followed by a simple pasta dinner and St. Joseph’s Table filled with desserts at Serra Hall. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $7.00 per person and are available outside the church after Mass. Everyone is encouraged to bake delights to be sold at the St. Joseph’s Table and to bring them with you to the dinner. All proceeds will go to charity.

TAIZE PRAYER AROUND THE CROSS

Taize prayer will resume on Tuesday, March 14th, at 6:30 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This type of contemplative prayer and song leads us to God in and through the image of Christ crucified.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES LENTEN FOOD DRIVE

As we prepare to enter the season of Lent—a time of fasting, almsgiving and praying—we ask everyone to join in our Catholic Charities Lenten food drive. Especially needed during this time are canned meats that give families needed nutrients. Each parish family is encouraged to bring canned food on Sundays during Lent. We remember our call to provide for those who are lacking the basics, acknowledging our relationship as sisters and brothers in Christ and the image of Christ found among all.

HELP THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Each year during the forty days of Lent, we are asked to forgo an occasional meal and to put money we would have spent on the meal in a Community Kitchen collection box as a donation toward keeping Santa Barbara hunger free. The Community Kitchen annually cooks more than 110,000 free hot meals for the hungry and homeless. In addition, free nutritious meals are provided to children’s after school programs for low-income families. Personal donation boxes are at the back of the church for you to take home.

SAY “HELLO” TO OUR NEWEST PARISHIONER

Melody Aguila

BAPTIZED INTO NEW LIFE

Caz Alexander Arroyo
Son of Sam and Marylinda Arroyo

Kellmer Bruce McFarling
Son of Douglas and Andrea McFarling

LET US PRAY FOR THE SICK

Joan Biasetti
Mary Ann Jenquin
Zoe Kazali
Anne Lano
Diane Parsons
Joyce Patterson

May they find strength and comfort in our prayers


FROM DEATH TO NEW LIFE

Anna Christine “Steenie” Medina
Wife of David Medina

May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Sunday, February 26th $9,904.00

Thank you for your continuing generosity.
Don’t forget to use your envelopes!

MINISTRY WORKSHOPS

All current Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and those interested in becoming ministers are asked to sign up to attend one of the following workshops:

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Tue, March 21, 7:00 PM—9:00 PM


LECTORS

Thurs, March 23, 6:30 PM—9:30 PM

All workshops will take place in the Parish Social Room. Please contact Laura in the Parish Office to reserve your place.

TOGETHER IN MISSION ANNUAL APPEAL

Together In Mission is our opportunity to reach beyond our own parish boundaries and come together as a spiritual family to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who are most in need, in support of 32 parishes and 46 schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

The theme of the campaign is “Blessed is the one who has regard for the...poor” (Psalm 41:2). Together In Mission provides an opportunity to show our concern for those served by the parishes and schools that need your financial support.

Many thanks to those who have already responded with either one-time donations or pledges. If you have not yet made a donation or pledge to Together In Mission, please prayerfully consider doing so. Pledge cards are available on the table in the back of the church.

“A NIGHT TO REMEMBER”

Notre Dame School Auction
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Bacara Resort
Honoring BishopThomas Curry

The 2006 auction theme of “A Night to Remember” will offer an elegant setting for an irresistible silent auction and exciting live auction featuring unique items and packages from local businesses, as well as student arts and crafts projects. Tickets for the event are $75.00 per person and include dinner. For more information, please contact Joan Gilles at 965-1033.

ATTENTION YOUNG ADULTS

You are invited to share in a conversation about, “Young Adults in the Church of Today and Tomorrow,” with Fr. Richard Vega, Pastor at La Purisima in Lompoc. Please join us on Tuesday, March 14th, at 7:00 PM at the Bishop Diego Pastoral Center (4032 La Colina Road). Food, fun and fellowship always. For more information, please call Kelly at 682-1508 or email BridgeSantaBarb@aol.com.

PREPARE FOR NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116
Second Reading: Romans 8:31b-34
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10

REFLECTION ON NEXT SUNDAY’S LITURGY OF THE WORD SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Throughout Mark’s gospel, we hear the question, “Who is Jesus?” In the transfiguration, we hear the clearest answer. But this foreshadowing of the Resurrection comes between two predictions of suffering and rejection. Even Jesus’ closest apostles fail to understand what Jesus means by “rising from the dead,” and they do not want to hear his predictions of his Passion. But Mark makes it clear to his audience that resurrection can only be understood in the mystery of suffering and dying.

LIFE FOCUS

- Relate an experience when a person turned out to be much more than you expected.

- Name someone who dealt with a necessary struggle and suffering instead of running away. How did this affect you?

- Describe an experience of beauty or love that captured your attention.

TRAVELING? DON’T FORGET TO GO TO MASS!

For nationwide Mass times and locations, please visit www.MassTimes.org.

GETTING IN THE PARISH BULLETIN

For Parish announcements, call Laura in the Parish Office (682-4151). Please contact Mission Publishing at (888) 253-4358 for business ads.