From the Pastor’s Desk
This year,
My Dear People:
The Scriptures say that we cannot ever pray
without God’s help. The fact is we cannot
make a good Lent without God’s help. Today,
pray now for help to experience a meaningful
Lent because it starts Wednesday.
Here are some reflective thoughts on Lent:
1. There is the possibility that this could
be our last Lent before eternity. We
doubt the possibility, but then one of
our parishioners thought the same
way last year. The wonderful, vibrant
Michael Dubruiel dropped off the
treadmill with a massive heart attack
early this month at the age of fifty. One
of these Lents will be our last and it is
good to imagine that this is our last. If
we thought that it might be, would our
effort this Lent be better?
2. If we do not improve our lives during
Lent, there is every probability that we
will never get closer to Jesus than we
are now.
3. With our human condition, we must
make specific resolutions during Lent
so we contemplate the three
penitential practices that come from
the Bible and Christian tradition:
a. Prayer
b. Fasting
c. Alms giving
A. PRAYER: If daily Mass is any way
possible, or at least sometimes during
the week, this is tops. It gives us the
Scriptures and Jesus Himself in the
Eucharist. There are also the
opportunities for visits to the Chapel of
Our Savior. Then there are some of
those prayers we used to say that
have fallen by the wayside. Since Lent
is getting closer to Jesus and
appreciating what He has done for our
salvation, the Stations of the Cross is
a beautiful devotion, contemplating
how much Jesus loves us.
we will add benediction to the Stations
of the Cross on Fridays during Lent. (It
starts at 7:00 p.m.)
A week from this coming Monday we
start the first full week of Lent with a
mission given by Deacon Glenn
Harmon from the western part of our
country. Come and see; come and
pray; come and praise God.
Completing the list of our prayers,
there is the Sacrament of
Reconciliation every Saturday from
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on the
third day of the mission, March 4th, we
will have a Penance Service with eight
priests.
B. FASTING: Fasting from food is a
practice that strengthens our willpower
to make it ever-so-strong in our
commitment to Jesus. We could also
fast from T.V., gossip, and selfish
ways.
C. ALMSGIVING: In connection with
fasting from all those luxuries and
tasty foods, the tradition of the Church
is to identify what we give up and give
the money not otherwise spent on
ourselves to the hungry. Sharing with
the needy is fundamental to our
Christian faith.
Lent is a holy season and holiness means
getting closer to God. Whatever brings us
closer gives us a successful Lent.
We cannot get closer to Jesus during Lent
without His help. Just as we ask for the grace
to pray, we need to ask Jesus now for the
grace to get closer to Him during this holy
season of Lent.
With prayers and blessings,
Father Muller
 ADULT EDUCATION

Sunday morning Adult Education is held in

MASS INTENTIONS the Parish Hall at 10:00 a.m.:
Monday, Feb. 23 Joseph Painter
Donald Taccone Sunday, March 1st: John Wright, Jr.,
Tuesday, Feb. 24 Special Intention presents his first hand account of “The Civil
Lauryn Cecelia
Wednesday, Feb. 25 Lee Saia Rights Movement and Catholic Response in
Lena Powell the South.”
Thursday, Feb. 26 Joseph Painter ____________________________________
Thomas Sullivan
Friday, Feb. 27 Donors to the OLS School
Foundation
Charles Woods
Saturday, Feb. 28 Lucy Antonio
Richard Jeffers
Sunday, March 1 People of the Parish
Mary Dirgo High School Youth Group meets on
Wednesday nights from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and
on Sunday mornings from 10:00 -11:15 a.m.
We meet in the third floor Youth Room in the
ASH WEDNESDAY Family Life Center. Come to meet friends,
eat, and learn about the faith!
The Masses for Ash
Wednesday are: Junior High Youth Group - All 6th - 8th
6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 8:30 graders will meet on March 1st. Please note
a.m., 12:00 noon, and two that this is the only meeting scheduled for
6:00 p.m. Masses - one in March. We meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the
the Church and one in the Parish Hall. Family Life Center. Please join in the fun and
fellowship.

Mark your calendars for

With Deacon Glenn Harmon OLS Vacation Bible
March 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th School “Discovery
Time: 7:00 p.m. Canyon” which will be
June 8-12th from 9:00 a.m.
PENANCE SERVICE until 12:00 p.m. This is for
Wednesday, March 4th, at 7:00 p.m. children going into K4
Eight priests will be available for through 4th grade as of August 2009.
confession. Registration begins March 1st. For more
information, call 871-1431.
NOON MASS
Monday through Friday during Lent.

DEACON GIVES MISSION-The charism to preach and the commission to preach is given to
every deacon at his ordination. This year for the first time we will have a celebrated deacon
from the West Coast giving the mission. Come see; come and pray; come and praise God.
SINGLES
The OLS Singles would like to invite
everyone interested in learning more about
the Declaration of Nullity, commonly known
as annulments, to join us Thursday, February
26th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Room 102
of the Family Life Center for annulment
education. This event is open to everyone
who would like to learn more about the
Declaration of Nullity. If you are a divorced
Catholic, know a divorced Catholic or just
want to learn more about what the Church
teaches about annulments, we encourage
you to join us and learn more about the
Declaration of Nullity. Anne Marie Verchot,
RCIA Director at Our Lady of Sorrows and a
Diocesan Trained Advocate on the
Declaration of Nullity, will be leading the
meeting. For additional information, contact
David Asbach at 383-5634 or daa28@aol.com
or Anne Marie Verchot 482-8627 or
verchot@bellsouth.net.
_______________________________________
CHAPEL OF OUR SAVIOR
The Chapel needs permanent Committed
Adorers for:
Monday Morning at Midnight - 1:00 AM (To
Share Hour)
Tuesday at 1:00 PM (To Share Hour)
Our goal is to have at least 2 people on each
hour. Please call Ida Wilker at 933-2281 or
Mary Claire Brouillette at 871-2909.
ST. BERNARD PREPARATORY SCHOOL
(grades 7-12) is a Catholic co-educational,
middle school and boarding high school
offering a college preparatory curriculum. We
invite you to our OPEN HOUSE on Sunday,
March 1st, from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. or
visit our website at
www.stbernardprep.com. For information
contact: Admissions Office 1-800-722-0999
or 256-739-6682 ext. 128.
PRAY FOR VOCATIONS
Have you tried what Jesus directs us to do? Love of
enemy, no payback, and going beyond what is
asked are difficult to observe in our world. Be
attentive to these commands and ask for the grace
to live them. (Matthew 5:38-48) This ad is
sponsored by the Serra Club.
The Annual Homecoming Dinner at Blessed
Sacrament Parish will be held Sunday,
March 8, from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. This
year’s meal will be lasagna, salad, bread,
dessert and beverage. Take out dinners will
be available. .
If additional information is needed please
contact the Church rectory, Fr. Jose Manjaly
at 785-9840 or Margaret Tallie at 669-7041.
The Birmingham Cursillo Community
Will be having our February ULTREYA on
Tuesday, February 24th, at 6:30 p.m. at Our
Lady of Sorrows Church Parish Hall. For
more information please contact Patrick
Crabtree at 205-960-3991, or e-mail at:
pcrabtree@crabtreecomputer.com.
THE MORNING ULTREYA will meet the
fourth Friday of this month, February 20th. It
will take place at Saint Peter the Apostle
Church, Room 203, after the 9:00 a.m. Mass
____________________________________
Come and See Vocations Day - Are you a
single male between the ages of 16 and 50?
Do you think that Jesus may be calling you to
become a priest? Or do you have questions
about your vocation? Do you love the Church
and Our Lady? Are you open to doing
whatever God asks of you for your life?
Then you owe it to yourself to come to this
day of reflection on the Catholic priesthood!
Come Saturday, February 28, 2009, 9:00
a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Chapel-
UAB Campus, 1515 12th Avenue South,
Birmingham, AL. To RSVP or ask questions
contact Fr. Rick Chenault at 205-991-5488
extension 219 or frchenault@gmail.com
Introduction to Centering Prayer -
Intensive Centering Prayer-Level Two will
meet March 27-29, 2009 at the Retreat
Center (Sacred Heart Monastery) in Cullman,
Alabama. For reservations please call 256-
734-8302

Lenten “Desert Day” - On Wednesday,

March 18th, the Benedictine Sisters Retreat
Center in Cullman will be offering a Lenten
Desert Day. The day of reflection will begin
at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m.
Registration will begin at 8:45 a.m. The fee
for the day is $40.00 and includes lunch. For
more information or to register please call
(256) 734-8302 or retreat@shmon.org.

February Bridge Winners

1st Place-Bernie Grundhoefer
2nd Place-Jean Holt
3rd Place-Fran MacDougall
Special Prize-Angela Cashio

A new series of Natural Family Planning

classes will begin on March 7th at St.
Vincent’s Hospital. Learn how to achieve or
postpone pregnancy in a natural, safe and
effective way through the Church approved
method of family planning. For more
information please contact Paul or LeeAnn
Davis at 979.0304 or
leeannrdavis@msn.com
____________________________________

Marriage Encounter-As we prepare for Lent

let us think about ways to change our hearts
and enrich our Sacrament of Marriage. Take
time now to build a stronger Sacrament. The
next Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Weekends are February 27-March 1,2009 in
Huntsville, AL and March 27-29 in Nashville,
TN. Early registration saves your place on
the weekend. For more information visit our
website at: wwmealabama.org or call (800)
540-WWME or (256) 430-0982