Parish Staff Nancy Caro Sacristan Laura Bell Head of School 703-759-4129 Maggie Radzik Head of Pedagogy 703-759-4129 Anson Groves Dir of Catholic Youth Org 703-759-3530 Anson Groves Dir. of Religious Ed. 703-759-3530 Sharon O'Donnell Religious Ed Secretary 703-759-3530 Rick Webb Gen. Mgr. Financial Dir 703-759-4350 Dr. Kimberly Hess Director of Music 703-759-4350 Judy Wood Parish Secretary 703-759-4350 Jackie Fox Bulletin Editor 703-759-4350 Guillermo DeLeon Director of Facilities 703-638-4301 Email address deleonscs@gmail.com Emiro Soto Maintenance Rosa Hernandez Support Staff Stephen Dolenc Web Master stephendolenc @gmail.com Mass Intentions Sunday, April 18 8:00 a.m. Jerome Simons V 10:00 a.m. Pro Populo 12:00 noon Thanksgiving Melody & Andrew Capiro Monday, April 19 9:00 a.m. George Eckert Tuesday, April 20 9:00 a.m. John Flaim V Wednesday, April 21 9:00 a.m. Robert Frank V Thursday, April 22 9:00 a.m. Christine Chambers Friday, April 23 9:00 a.m. Hosanna Kehoe V Saturday, April 24 9:00 a.m. Astrid Fix & Family 5:30 p.m. Donna McCaughey-Sullivan V READINGS AND CELEBRATIONS FOR THE WEEK Sunday, Third Sunday of Easter Acts 5: 27-32, 40b-41, Ps 30, Rv 5: 11-14, Jn 21: 1-19 Monday. Octave of Easter Acts 6: 8-15, Ps 119, Jn 6: 22-29 Tuesday, Octave of Easter Acts 7: 51 - 8: 1a, Ps 31, Jn 6: 30-35 Wednesday, Octave of Easter Acts 8: 1b-8, Ps 66, Jn 6: 35-40 Thursday, Octave of Easter Acts 8: 26-40, Ps 66, Jn 6: 44-51 Friday, Octave of Eastern Acts 9: 1-20, Ps 117, Jn 6: 52-59 Saturday, Octave of Easter Acts 9: 31-42, Ps 116, Jn 6: 60-69 Parish Stewardship Thank you for your generous offerings of April 3/4. The regular collection brought in $16,351, and the Poor Box yielded $935. Also, thank you for your generous offerings of April 10/11. The regular collection brought in $14,160, and the Poor Box yielded $362. The Poor Box for the month of March will go to benefit Porto Charities. Faith Direct Contributions Contributions for the month of April are $17,061. The Ascension of Christ and His Glorified Existence Forty days after his Resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. During this period between his Resurrection and Ascension, He actually gave the primacy He had promised to Peter, as we read in John 21. The many events between His resurrection and ascension preclude the theory that He ascended on Easter. His ascension does not mean that heaven is somewhere up in space. This was a way of making clear that He was leaving the present mode of existence. St. Paul in Colossians 3:1 urges us to live our lives now as if we had already died, had risen, and had ascended with Him. In a mystical sense we have done that, in that our Head has done that. In the physical sense it is still in the future. He ascended to receive the glory due to Him as conqueror of sin and death (Philippians 2:8-11); to be our Mediator and advocate with the Father (Hebrews 9:24); to send the Holy Spirit as He had promised at the Last Supper (John 16:7); and to prepare a place for us as He also promised (John 14:2). Now He is seated at the Father's right hand, which means that, as He said, "all power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18). He always had that power as God, but now He exercises it as man, as King of the Universe, with His Mother beside Him as Queen of the Universe. As God He is everywhere, but not as man, though He is present on earth most widely in the Holy Eucharist, even as man. Besides this real bodily presence in the Eucharist, Christ is present on earth in other, lesser ways. Vatican II explained the various forms of presence, in the Constitution on the Liturgy, # 7: "Christ is always present to His Church, especially in liturgical actions. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass in the person of the priest; 'He is the same one, now offering by the ministry of priests, who then offered Himself on the Cross [citing the Council of Trent]. But He is most greatly present under the Eucharistic species. He is present by His power in the Sacraments, so that when anyone is baptized Christ Himself baptizes. He is present in His word, for He speaks when the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church. He is present, finally, when the Church prays and sings the Psalms, He who promised 'Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst'"(Matthew 18:20). Taken from The Basic Catholic Catechism Pray for the Sick and Homebound of our Parish Joshua Basile, Dianne Burrell, Tom Case, Bernadette Choo, Bernadette Hong Choo, Catherine Choo, Jonathan Choo, Bryan Cox, Dona Curry, Flora DeLeon, Betsabe deSoto, Marjorie Dolak, Eileen Drennan, Christa Drummond, Marilyn Flynn, Gerald Green, Brian Hack, Ed Kondracki, John Larounis, Carol McCarty, Susan McQuade, Peter Michalski, Peter Nam, John Spencer, K.L. Sypal, Chick Wilson,Jan Wouters, Anthony Yantiss Pray for Those Who have Fallen Asleep in Christ James Anthony, Maryann Barron, Philip Calanchini, Joe Cassella, Peter Choo, John Connor, Moira Connor, Bill Corr, Br. David Eddy, George Gibson, Bill Hale, Carol Jones, Mary Elizabeth Jones, Joan Keller Pray for our Armed Forces Personnel Patrick Bouchoux, Jordan Bowren, Brendan Dunne, Mark Falcon, Christopher Frediani, Michael Holtz, Brian Horn, Kathleen Mahoney, Josh Moore, Matthew O'Neil, Mathew Rowell, Justin Smallwood The Blessed Sacrament THIS IS MY BODY - THIS IS MY BLOOD Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Hour A Holy Hour is simply an hour set-aside totally for the Lord; an hour consecrated to God. It is a time to recollect our mind, heart and spirit in order to focus them on God and more specifically our Eucharistic Lord. To make a Holy Hour is to make a decision to spend one hour with our friend, our Savior and Lord who is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith, and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease. - John Paul II To sign up for adoration or for information regarding adoration please contact Diane Cieslak 703-678-3919. 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration begins after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Wednesday and ends with reposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:55 a.m. on Thursday. 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration also begins after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on every First Friday of the month and ends with reposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:55 a.m. on Saturday. Holy Hour is every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Communion and Blessings A very common liturgical abuse of our times happens during the reception of Holy Communion when persons who cannot receive Communion nevertheless line up with their arms crossed over their chest, as a "message" to the priest that they want a blessing instead of Communion. This is liturgically incorrect on a number of levels. First and foremost, the time for Communion is the time for Communion. The Communion line is not, and should not be, the blessing line. Secondly, the liturgical actions of the priest during Mass are highly regulated, and quite specific of what to do and when to do it. The actions of a good liturgist may seem spontaneous, but they are not and should not be. Unfortunately, owing to the confused time in which we live, some people are instructed to present themselves, arms crossed, before the priest at Communion time for a blessing. To make things even more confused, some people present themselves with crossed arms as a sign that they wish to receive on the tongue! Children who have not yet made their first Communion may come up with their parents who are receiving, but should not present themselves individually for a blessing. Others, who cannot receive, for whatever reason, should remain seated. The proper time for the blessing follows the prayer after Communion, which blessing all receive together. The Knights of Columbus News Consider This Opportunity to Serve! The Knights of Columbus are the largest Catholic Men's fraternal organization - are you a Knight? For information please contact Kevin Trissell at 703-464-8393 or trissellkofc@verizon.net. KOVAR Knights will be collecting donations in the local area and after Mass from April 15 -18 to benefit individuals with mental disabilities as part of the State of Virginia KofC KOVAR campaign. Social Meeting - Tuesday April 20th, 7;30 p.m. in Padre Pio Hall. Topic: Advanced Medical Directives and Knights of Columbus fraternal benefits. Today - Spring Blood Drive The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring the Spring Blood Drive today, Sunday, April 18th from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Bishop Justs Hall. Sign-up sheets are available in the Narthex after all Masses. Whether due to illness or injury, one out of every ten people entering a hospital will require a blood transfusion. In the United States alone, 32,000 pints of blood are needed each and every day to keep up with the demand. Please give for this life-saving effort. For further information or to sign-up, contact George Melendez at (703) 867.2972. Office of Religious Education The Religious Education office fondly Wishes all of St. Catherine parishioners a very Happy and Blessed Easter Please Note: The Office of Religious Education is closed on Thursdays and Fridays. Email the office at reoffice@SaintCatherinesChurch.org for any information. Catechist Corner Confraternity of Christian Doctrine CCD Class Calendar April 19,20 All classes in session 26,27 All classes in session Confirmation 26 2nd Confirmation Report Due May 3,4 All classes in session 10,11 All classes in session 17,18 All classes in session 24,25 Final classes First Holy Communion 14 First Holy Communion Practice at 6:00 p.m. 15 First Holy Communion at 10:30 a.m. September 8,15,22,29 Final Confirmation classes October TBA Confirmation Catholic Youth Organization Please see the CYO bulletin board for all upcoming events Senior CYO - 8th - 12th grade Meetings on the first Sunday of the month 6-8 p.m. Junior CYO - 4th - 7th grades Meetings on the first Friday of the month 6-8 p.m. CYO (8th - 12th grades) April 11, Sunday - Meeting from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. "Atheist Double Jeopardy - loving God in a cruel world" April 18, Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Blood Drive Service Project The Week of Graces is scheduled for the week of July 12th. Children between the ages of 5-11 are welcome to participate. We are in need of volunteers to: ? People to purchase, assemble and make crafts before July 12th. ? People (adults & teenagers) to teach in the classrooms ? Someone in charge of purchasing and snacks daily If you can help, please call the Office of Religious Education at 703-759-3530. Adult Bible Study The Apocalypse of St. John the Divine Beginning March 24th through May 26th, Wednesday mornings From 10:00 - 11:00 am Join us as we study the last book of the Holy Bible, the mysterious and poetic book of Revelation. Through this Bible study, you will become familiar and comfortable with a book that confuses and frightens many. You will learn more about the Mass. You will learn more about the Holy Spirit and his Holy Church. You will learn about God's messengers to us, His Holy Angels. And you will learn about the great Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary. And mostly, you will learn more about Jesus Christ and the heavenly palace that awaits us. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . . God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more." Book Corner News For Catholics, confession, is a most important part of our faith and our lives. But some of still might have some questions about confession. In Russell Shaw's book, Why We Need Confession, we learn that the fallen nature of man and tendency toward sin is a reality that has lost credibility of late. But for John Henry Cardinal Newman "Original sin became to me almost as certain as that the world exists, as the existence of God." Far from being the breaking of arbitrary and external laws, the author shows us that sin damages not only our relationship with God, but affects the deep bonds of charity and grace linking us with others. Because of this, sin prevents us from developing our full humanity and living as true daughters and sons of God. Only through the sacrament of reconciliation can one retain the harmony of life and grace lost by sin. For happiness can be found solely in the struggle against sin. The rewards of true repentance and sorrow are life, but, as St. Paul tells us, "the wages of sin are death." Why We Need Confession is available on the bookshelf for $9.00. The Pro-Life Committee The Pro-Life Committee invites you to join us the last Saturday of the month, from 7:00 - 8:30 a.m. We will pray the Rosary, outside the Falls Church Abortion Clinic, located at 900 S. Washington Street. Siena Academy News Mission Statement Siena Academy is the parish school at St. Catherine of Siena. Its mission is to give glory to God and to assist parents in the role as primary educators of their children by offering specially prepared environments founded upon the principles and discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori in regard to the unique spiritual and developmental needs of the child from birth to adulthood. Siena Academy's Annual Fundraiser: Sagra del Siena, April 24th at 7:00 P.M. Thank you to all parishioners who have already, so generously donated to our parish school. You should have received an invitation by mail last week to join fellow parishioners at the Sagra del Siena, a fundraiser for Siena Academy and celebration of St. Catherine of Siena's feast day. Come for great fellowship, Italian cuisine and wine, music, a live auction, a silent auction, a raffle, and a glimpse into life at Siena Academy. One of the auction items being offered is a tea for 6 adults prepared and served by our own Pastor, Father Drummond! Siena Academy provides an affordable, truly Catholic Montessori education for our children. There are many ways to give if you are unable to attend the event. Please consider a sponsorship opportunity or making a tax-deductible donation. Questions? Please contact Christine Chambers at christinestor@yahoo.com or 703-689-9902. Win a Car or Cash! - Drawing April 24th Siena Academy is participating in the All-Saints Car Raffle. In 2008, one of our parishioners won a car! If you'd like more tickets, they are available in the school or Parish Office. Siena Academy keeps $3 of every $5 ticket sold. All proceeds go to the Siena Academy Annual Fund.? ? Open Registration Siena Academy is now accepting applications for new students for the 2010-2011 school year. Our Toddler Program is for children ages 18 months to 3 years of age. Our Children's House environment is for children ages 3-6 years old. Our Elementary environment is for children ages 6-12. For more information, please call the Siena Academy office at 703-759-4129. The Women's Association News All women of the parish are cordially invited to belong and participate in our monthly activities and fellowship. We have great camaraderie and encourage you to come and join us. Cha-Cha Dance Class in Bishop Justs Hall All are invited! Sunday April 18 3:15 - 5:00 pm Sunday April 25 1:15 - 3:00 pm For more information contact Kathy at mcerroni@aol.com. Over 50 Club u May 10 - 14 Trapp Family Lodge. We stop at Lake George on the way up and back, then 2 nights at the Lodge with magnificent scenery. Visit the famous Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Stowe Village, Ben & Jerry Ice Cream factory, lunch, visit the Gaylord Hotel and surrounding area. $40 uJune1 - Day trip with Father Drummond to Mt. St. Mary's City. Lunch included and tour. Visit the Old State House and Port Tobacco, also the Carmelite Monastery (first convent in the Nation) They make rosaries from dried roses. Do not miss this wonderful trip. $99. u August 1 - 14 England, Scotland and Wales. Call for information. u September 8 -9 Atlantic City overnight staying at the Tropicana Casino. Buffet dinner, breakfast and a bonus package, plus a show in one is scheduled. The 9th is the Resorts Casino with another bonus. The date might be changed to fit the show schedule. $149/dbm 199/single. u October 16 - 20 Cruise to Bermuda - Leaving from the Baltimore Harbor, on The Enchantment of the Sea. Motor coach from St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church. Only a few openings available. Range: $837.50 - $1,117.30. Membership in the Club is not required to travel with us! Please call the following for more information and/or registration. Mary Ann at 703-404-8677 or Connie at 703- 759-2939. Papal Blessings and Papal Audiences If you are interested in receiving a papal blessing for an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion, or plan on visiting Rome and would like to attend a general papal audience, please contact the Parish Office at least three months in advance of the event or visit to Rome. Note that the papal audiences are only on Wednesdays and are subject to the Holy Father's health, travels and weekly schedule. Call 703.759.4350. Opus Dei Recollection A priest of the Opus Dei prelature presents an "Evening of Recollection" for women on the 3rd Monday of each month from 7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in the Church. The schedule for "Evenings of Recollection" for men may be obtained by visiting Website: restonstudycenter.org. For further information call 703.689.3433. In the Diocese & Other Events Website: www.arlingtondiocese.org Some white-collar jobs are more challenging than others Are you being called to the priesthood, diaconate or consecrated life? Call the Office of Vocations at 703- 841-2514. Project Rachel 2010 Retreat Dates Rachel's Vineyard Retreat weekend for healing after abortion is scheduled for April 30 - May 2. Thank you for your help in promoting these very special healing retreats for women who have been hurt by abortion. We know that a consistent message encourages those in need of healing to seek help. You can help us by posting printable fliers which can be found on our website: www.arlingtondiocese.org/familylife/rachel_retreat.php . For more information call (703) 841-2504 or e-mail: projectrachel@arlingtondiocese.org. St. George Feast Day April 23rd Saint George (ca. 275/281 - 23 April 303) was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier and priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints. Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations, and disease sufferers. A church built in Lydda during the reign of Constantine (reigned 306-337), was consecrated to "a man of the highest distinction", according to the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea; the name of the patron was not disclosed, but later he was asserted to have been George. By the time of the Muslim conquest in the seventh century, a basilica dedicated to the saint in Lydda existed. The church was destroyed in 1010 but was later rebuilt and dedicated to Saint George by the Crusaders. In 1191 and during the conflict known as the Third Crusade (1189- 1192), the church was again destroyed by the forces of Saladin, Sultan of the Avvubid dynasty (reigned 1171- 1193). A new church was erected in 1872 and is still standing. During the fourth century the veneration of George spread from Palestine through Lebanon to the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire. By the fifth century the cult of Saint George had reached the Western Roman Empire as well: in 494, George was canonized as a saint by Pope Gelasius, among those "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God." In England the earliest dedication to George, who was mentioned among the martyrs by Bede, is a church at Fordington, Dorset, that is mentioned in the will of Alfred the Great. "Saint George and his feast day began to gain more widespread fame among all Europeans, however, from the time of the Crusades." The St. George's flag, a red cross on a white field, was adopted by England and the City of London in 1190 for their ships entering the Mediterranean to benefit from the protection of the Geonoese fleet during the Crusades and the English Monarch paid an annual tribute to the Doge of Genoa for this privilege. An apparition of George heartened the Franks at the siege of Antioch, and made a similar appearance the following year at Jerusalem. Chivalric military Order of St. George was established in Aragon (1201), Genoa, Hungary, and by Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, and Edward III put his Order of the Garter under the banner of St. George. In England the Synod of Oxford, 1222 declared St. George's Day a feast day in the kingdom of England. The chronicler Froissart observed the English invoking St. George as a battle cry on several occasions during the Hundred Years' War. In his rise as a national saint George was aided by the very fact that the saint had no legendary connection with England, and no specifically localized shrine, as of Thomas Becket at Canterbury: "Consequently, numerous shrines were established during the late fifteenth century The establishment of George as a popular saint and protective giant in the West that had captured the medieval imagination was codified by the official elevation of his feast to a festum duplex at a church council in 1415, on the date that had become associated with his martyrdom, 23 April. Sources: According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the earliest text preserving fragments of George's narrative is in an Acra Sanctorum identified