February 29, 2024

Dear Members and Friends of St. Joseph Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 

May the blessings and grace of God sustain you through this Lenten Season.  Lent is the time of preparation for those who will be baptized, confirmed and admitted to the Eucharist during the Easter Vigil on Saturday, March 30, 2024.  For the rest of us, Lent is the time to increase our prayer, fasting and works of charity as a way of modeling our faith. 

As Disciples of Christ, we are called to be good stewards of all that is entrusted to us. I also remind you of the Annual Diocesan Appeal, please make a pledge if you have not yet done so. We are called to pray for peace and work in service of those who are suffering.

The Rite of Penance is available on Saturday, March 2, at 3:30 pm at St. Joseph. Communal Penance Services, beginning at 7:00 pm., will be at St. Joseph Church on Tuesday March 5; and at St. James Church in North Jackson on Thursday, March 7.

The Knights of Columbus will be selling Fish Dinners on the Fridays of Lent, at St. Joseph from 3:00-6:00pm. Both dine-in and carry-out dinners are available.  Fish Dinners are available at IHM from 4:00-7:00 pm. Dine-in and carry-out dinners are available.

All are invited to pray the Rosary at Immaculate Heart of Mary on Thursdays at 6:00 pm. 

The Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays at 7:00 pm at St. Joseph and at 7:00 pm at IHM.

The following highlights other activities in March.

• Sunday, March 3, the IHM Knights will have a Pancake Breakfast at IHM.
• Saturday, March 9:  TURN YOUR CLOCK AHEAD to prepare for daylight savings time beginning on Sunday.
• Tuesday, March 12; IHM Rummage Sale Collection.
• Wednesday, March 13, IHM Parish Council Meeting at 6:30pm.
• Saturday, March 16, the 2^nd graders at St. Joseph will have their “Jesus Day” in Mercy Hall from 10:00-12:30pm.
• Friday, March 22, the Food Pantry is open at IHM in the afternoon.
• Palm Sunday, March 24, the Annual Spaghetti Dinner will be held at St. Joseph from 11:00am -2:00pm.

I invite and encourage all of you to take advantage of the worship opportunities during Holy Week. 

• The Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, March 28, will be celebrated at 6 pm at St. Joseph Church. 
• The Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion will be at 6:00 pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
• The Good Friday Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 3:00 pm at both churches. 
• On Holy Saturday, the Blessing of Easter Food Baskets will be at Noon at St. Joseph and at 1:00pm at IHM. 
• The Easter Vigil will be celebrated beginning at 8:00 pm at St. Joseph Church.
• Easter Sunday Mass is 9:00 am at St. Joseph and at 11:00 at Immaculate Heart of Mary.  “He is risen, He is truly risen!”

IHM and St. Joseph Parishes are participating in a diocesan-wide discipleship project. If you have not yet participated in the survey, please click the link below and take the survey. Thank you! More information in on each parish’s website homepage.

TAKE THE IHM DISCIPLESHIP SURVEY

TAKE THE ST. JOSEPH DISCIPLESHIP SURVEY

We are richly blessed in our parishes by the grace of God.  We have many active and generous parishioners who share their time, talent and treasure.  We enjoy activities and events that enable us to experience Christian fellowship and support.  Praying that this Lent is a powerful experience of God’s grace for each of you, I remain

Sincerely Yours in Christ,

Rev. Gregory F. Fedor, Pastor