Introduction My friends, in the Gospel today we will hear a story of faith.

It is the story of four men who bring one who is paralyzed to Jesus for healing. Unable to get through the crowd, they carry the paralyzed one to the roof, where they create an opening and then lower the paralytic, still lying on a mat, within reach of Jesus. Let us pray today for that kind of energetic faith.

Mass Intentions
Sat. 18 6:00 p.m. Frank Cabral Sun. 19 9:00 a.m. Manuel Pacheco Joseph & Maria Ramos Clementino Intentions of Claire Kelly 11:00 a.m. Parishioners of St. Patricks Mon. 20 8:00 a.m. Marie Doty Intentions of George Doty Tues. 21 8:00 a.m. Joseph S. Figueirado, Jr. Ash Wed. 8:00 a.m. For the Conversion of Sinners 7:30 p.m. For Parish Families Thurs.23 8:00 a.m. Eugene Cabral Fri. 24 8:00 a.m. Angelina Medeiros Sat. 25 6:00 p.m. Mary & Manuel DeMello Arminda & Manuel Garrafa Sun. 26 9:00 a.m. Mariano & Maria Simas Barry Lee 11:00 a.m. Parishioners of St. Patricks

Stewardship Treasure Mass Offering last week: Poor Box:

$3,932.43 $254.50

Weekly Stewardship Thought We dont give because we have an abundance of resources and can afford it; we give because of a desire to share what we have with others out of love and gratitude. Reflection Question Am I open to carrying others to the Lord, for their healing and forgiveness, the way that the friends of the paralytic did? Am I willing to be carried by others, through their prayers, support and friendship?

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament There will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament this Thursday evening from 7:30 8:30 p.m. in the Church. Please take a moment to participate in this grace-filled devotion. Diocesan Stewardship Committee News Stewardship Day will be held at St. Theresas Hall on Saturday, March 17, from 10:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

Youth Corner
COME OUT TO THE NEXT YOUTH NIGHT FOR TEENS 13 18 YEARS OF AGE

St. Theresas Hall.

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Friday, February 24
2012 is a Leap Year Lets take a leap of faith and share it with others from a Lenten perspective

Bring a friend!
Preparation of Altar Servers Fr. Paul will be training new Altar Servers after all Masses this weekend, February 18 and 19. If you are a young person at least 8 years of age (Grade 3) or older and are interested in serving in this Ministry, please stay after Mass next weekend. Parents, the training sessions shouldnt take more than 30 minutes and you are invited to stay. Resurrectionist Anniversary On February 17, the Resurrectionists celebrated 176 years of their foundation in 1836. Bermuda has been served by Resurrectionists as long as most of the Catholic population remembers. In Bermuda we have a truly international representation of the Congregation: from the USA Province, Polish Province, South American Region and from the Ontario-Kentucky Province. May God bless these priests and may God bless the Congregation of the Resurrection with vocations throughout the world as we pray that the Beatification of the Founder, Bogdan Janski, be advanced here and everywhere. New Website to Promote Vocations Vocationculture.ca is a new website designed to help us discover and celebrate vocations to Married Life, Single Life, Consecrated Life, the Priesthood, and Permanent Diaconate. You are invited to join Fr. Toby Collins, CR, at www.vocationculture.ca for this epic journey. Marriage Preparation for 2012 The mandatory five-week pre-marriage preparation program starts February 29 and ends March 28, 2012. All sessions take place at St. Theresa's Cathedral Hall, Laffan Street, on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 9:30 p.m. Please see Fr. Paul for a registration form. All couples are required to speak to their pastor prior to the first session. A Plea for the St. Patricks Education Trust Fund Our young people need your help. Last year seventeen students from St. Patricks parish applied for a portion of $20,000. If you would like to support the educational dreams of our youth, please consider contributing to the St. Patricks Education Trust Fund, or make a personal contribution towards the allotted money available for this year. Please make your cheque payable to St. Patricks Education Fund and give it to Fr. Paul. Thank you for your help. Morning Social After 9:00 and 11:00 Masses This Sunday there will be a Morning Social after both Masses. Please take a moment to meet and greet your fellow parishioners. Special thanks to the ladies of the parish for setting up, making the goodies, serving and tidying up afterwards.

Special Plea for Your Bone China On Saturday, April 14, St. Patricks Parish will host the Senior Tea for the Smiths parish area. The ladies organizing this event would like to serve our seniors their tea in bone china teacups and saucers. If you have any old bone china cups and saucers as well as small dessert plates that you no longer need (and that are not chipped or cracked), please leave them at the entrance to the church for collection or call Hilda Faria at 293-8292 and leave a message. Caritas House of Prayer Activities
Womens Retreat: A reminder to those wanting to make the womens retreat at Grotto Bay Hotel on the weekend of February 24 26 that the registration form along with a $50 deposit is now due. The registration forms can be left with Fr. Paul, dropped off at the Diocesan Center or at Caritas. The full payment will be due with checks payable to the Sisters of Charity either before or upon arrival at the hotel on February 24. All women 18 and over are invited. (There are three openings leftconsider it and let Sister Judith know by Tuesday, Feb14. Monthly Evening Prayer: "The Questions Jesus Asked" will take place on Sunday, February 19, March 25, and April 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Caritas. This Sunday evening the question is Who is My Mother and Who is My Brother?

Daily Mass during Lent The 12:10 p.m. Mass will be offered every day, Monday through Friday, at St. Theresas Cathedral during Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22. Countdown to Lent Ash Wednesday is February 22. Lent begins with a Mass in the morning at 8:00 a.m. and in the evening at 7:30 p.m. During the Masses, ashes will be blessed and distributed. The ashes are obtained from the burning of previous years blessed palms. Remember: Ash Wednesday is a day set aside for fasting and abstaining of meat. Stations of the Cross at St. Patricks As we have done in previous years, the Stations of the Cross will be celebrated in the church each Thursday evening from 7:30 7:45 p.m. during Lent in combination with the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which will follow until 8:30 p.m. You are encouraged to attend either or both celebrations. 40 Days for Life Campaign You are invited to join other Christian throughout the world to take part in the international 40 Days for Life Campaign, from Ash Wednesday, February 22 through to Palm Sunday, April 1. 40 Days for Life is a pro-life campaign. Visit: www.40daysforlife.com for more info. Apartment Needed for Rent A middle-aged couple with no children or pets is seeking a reasonably priced one-bedroom, ground level apartment in the central parishes. Please call Angelina Tomaz at 332-7311 if you can assist. Catholic Answers A new bulletin feature, Catholic Answers, in a question and answer format, addresses some of the questions that people often have of the Catholic faith. It just might give you something to think about! Do you have any burning questions you want answered? Let us know and well try to get an answer for you.
Question Robin Hood "stole from the rich to give to the poor." Should he be regarded as a hero, given that he accomplished his good ends through the evil means of theft?

Answer By taking the goods from the sheriff of Nottinghams treasure wagons and giving them to the poor, Robin Hood was actually reclaiming goods unjustly stolen from the poor by the crown through unjust taxation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping anothers property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing) is to put at ones disposal and use the property of others. Smile for the Day! Teacher: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor? John: You told me to do it without using tables.