FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST
Our Lady of Victory		St. Malachy
Sunday - 9:00 A.M.		Saturday - 7:00 P.M.

F O O D   F O R   T H E   W E E K

Reading I 2 Chronicles 36.14-17a,19-23 Responsorial Psalm Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!. Reading II Ephesians 2.4-10 Gospel John 3.14-21 Adult 1.  What keeps you from embracing God’s forgiveness? How can you learn to trust more fully in God’s constant mercy? 2.  Did you grow up thinking you had to earn God’s love? What helped you to see salvation as gift and grace? 3.  What might help you to become more aware of God’s gifts in your life? What would it mean, in practice, to live your life as a continuous act of gratitude to God?

Pastor	William Marrevee s.c.j.
Email	w.marrevee@sympatico.ca
Rectory	490 Charles Street Gatineau, Québec J8L 2K5
Secretary	Monday and Thursday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Telephone	(819) 986-3763
Fax	(819) 986-9889

A sincere welcome to those who are new among us. We hope you find a warm and welcoming faith-home with us. Please introduce yourself after Mass and call the Rectory to register.

40/3/50 - THE PASCAL SEASON

MASSES:

WED.	Mar. 29 - 9:00 a.m.	Paul Lemieux by Genevieve Simmons
FRI.	Mar. 30 - 7:00 p.m.	Stations of the Cross
SAT.	Apr. 01 - 7:00 p.m.	Connie Doherty by Brian Doherty & family
SUN.	Apr. 02 - 9:00 a.m.	Joseph Doherty (24th Anniversary) by Mary and family Helen Desjardins by Gail Blais & family Georgette McDonnell by Fred & family

LENT - WE CLIMB THE HOLY MOUNTAIN OF EASTER:
Yes, there is an end to Lent! And it is fast approaching. But the end of lent is the very purpose for which we observe lent: to make us ready for the annual celebration of the central mystery of our faith: the saving death and resurrection of Jesus the Lord.

This is not simply a remembering of an event that took place almost 2000 years ago. Rather, it is a bringing into focus and celebrating what is taking place now; Christ’s dying and rising in us who are His Body ever so slowly as we are on our way to full sharing in Christ’s glory.

Of course, it is still a few weeks away, but why not make plans now to make sure that the Three Great Days (Tridium): Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday/Sunday are not just another long weekend. If at any time of the year it should be visible that we are Christian, it is on these Three Great Days with their special services.

HOLY THURSDAY: 7:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper GOOD FRIDAY: 3:00 p.m. Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 7:00 p.m. Reflection/Mediation at St. Malachy HOLY SATURDAY: 9:00 p.m. Easter Vigil EASTER SUNDAY: 9:00 a.m. Eucharist at St. Malachy 11:00 a.m. Eucharist at O.L.V.

WILL AN EXPLANATION HELP?
One of the handicaps with the services of the Three Great Days is that they are different from an “ordinary Mass”. They strike us as long and perhaps even complicated. We use Bible texts, prayers, typically Christian symbols that are not very familiar to us (or perhaps too familiar such as water, light, Cross. Candle) so that we wonder what the fuss is all about.

The fuss is really about Jesus Christ, above all in his giving his life for us and in his being raised from the dead for us.

There is nothing more central in the Christian faith. And once a year we want to place them in front and center so that as Christians we may know where we have our Christian identity from.

That is what we do in the services of the three Great Days, starting Holy Thursday evening, Good Friday, Easter Saturday. They make up one liturgy with fairly long “inter-missions”. So how about taking a closer look at these liturgies. A little more familiarity with them may result in more people taking part in them. And, more importantly, we may discover how faith-forming they are.
This Monday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Aloysius Church.

IN PREPARATION FOR EASTER - RECONCILIATION/CONFESSION:
If the season of Lent is about conversion, repentance and renewal, then it is quite appropriate to celebrate that in the sacrament of reconciliation. We can celebrate in two ways: in a more individual way and in a communal way.

The individual way of celebrating God’s Forgiveness in our lives (by “going to confession”) has been a unique feature that we have focused on as Catholics. But that is no longer the case for many of us. Is one of the reasons that we have focused too much on how bad we are instead of how good God is? It would certainly be unfortunate if we were to loose this sacrament as an important means to have Jesus Christ grow on us. That is why anyone can approach a priest at any time for this sacrament of God’s forgiveness.

God’s forgiveness can also be celebrated in a communal way. This communal celebration is not meant as an easy substitute for the individual confession. Both forms complement our needs for God’s unmerited mercy and forgiveness in light of our sinfulness.

Individual Confessions
Friday	April 07th	5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday	April 09th	After Penitential Service
Tuesday	April 11th	7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Communal Penitential /Reconciliation Service
Sunday	April 09th	7:00 p.m.

THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF OUR BISHOP’S REFLECTIONS ON IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
In early February the French paper Le Droit carried an article by our bishop Roger Ebacher on the conditions of the Church in our time. Some English readers thought it would helpful for Anglophones as well to know about our bishop’s thoughts. That explains the addition to this Sunday’s bulletin. Not to let the other side of the page go wasted a Lenten reflection by Ron Rolheiser is added.

THE DEVELOPMENTANDPEACE ”SHARE LENT” COLLECTION - DIFFERENT:
In the course of the year we may have a number of special collections for a variety of causes. The Development & Peace “Share Lent” collection to be held next Sunday is different. But it is not limited to next Sunday. Ideally, what we put in there is what we have accumulated during all of Lent by our fasting. So if you want to hold off making your contribution to the following Sundays that is fine, as long as you clearly identify it as meant for Development & Peace.

Handing in that envelope at the next few Sundays is a real Easter gesture. Imagine the new life we can bring to the developing world by our Lenten effort!

THIS YEAR’S CHRISM MASS AT ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL, WEDNESDAY APRIL 12th, 7:30 PM.
The annual chrism Mass will have a different flavour this year. The place where it is held gives it away: St. Joseph Cathedral. Yes, St. Joseph Church in Hull is from now on the Cathedral of the Gatineau Diocese. The Bishop will take “his seat” there for the first time at the Chrism Mass.

What is the Chrism Mass? That is the Mass, usually celebrated in Holy Week, where the bishop blesses and consecrates the sacred oils used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing and ordination. At the end of the mass they are distributed to be taken to the various parishes where the sacraments are celebrated.
St. Joseph Cathedral is at 245 St Joseph Blvd. (Hull sector).

OLV SOCIETY:
- would like to thank everyone who helped in any way with the tea and all those who came out to support us. The profit from the St. Pat’s Tea was $658.00. Thank you.

REMINDER:
If any one has the white ribbon cloths that we received at the end of Lent last year to be displayed in our homes, you may return them to the church to be used again this year. Please contact Vivian for more information at 986-1707.

Weekly Receipts	O.L.V.	St. Malachy
Mar. 19th (Regular)	$   613	$   285