Weekly Parish Bulletin

WHEELCHAIRS

There are now 2 wheelchairs at the back of the church for the use of our parishioners. Please feel free to use them. Just see one of the ushers before Mass and they will set it up for you.

"ABBA"

A word from the Aramaic language meaning "Father." Abba was used by Jesus when, in great agony, he prayed in the garden that his hour of suffering might pass from him (Mk 14:36). The use of this word-originally spoken only within the family as a term of great respect, love and intimacy-puts Christ' s status as Son of God on an almost familiar basis and expresses his confidence in his almighty Father.

In Galatians 4:6 and Romans 8:15, Paul records that the early Christian community used "Abba, Father" as a cry spoken by those who have been spiritually adopted as children of God. Because those who are baptized are sons and daughters who have received the Spirit of God's Son, they are privileged to say Abba and model their prayer life after that of Jesus'. They too can pray to the Father in this most intimate way, asking for help and the ability to discern the Father's will.

A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication

THE ROSARY
Though legend attributes the origin of the rosary to St. Dominic in the 13th century, its roots actually arise from several different sources, specifically as a memory aid for those who could not read the Psalms and instead substituted 150 Our Fathers for the 150 Psalms. The beads, as well as the Psalter, were often divided into sets of 50. As devotion to the Blessed Virgin increased, the Hail Mary (in its early form) was added to the Our Fathers, as well as the words of Elizabeth at Mary's visitation. Soon meditations on biblical events were added. Finally the Dominicans began preaching the rosary, popularizing it, founding rosary confraternities and introducing many standardizations. In modern times, the rosary is a devotion to the 15 mysteries which are meditated on as each of the 15 decades of the Hail Marys are recited. Each decade is followed by a Glory Be and preceded by an Our Father. Usually only 1/3 of the rosary is said at any one time.

A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORD 'AMEN'
Amen is the word used at the end of prayers or at certain points in the Mass to indicate agreement and conclusion. Amen is a Hebrew word meaning "so be it," and was used by the Israelites in the Old Testament to signify their acceptance of God's commands.

In the New Testament Gospels, it is said to emphasize the importance of the words that follow ("Amen, Amen I say to you"). In the epistles, Amen is used as an exclamation of faith in God's promises and Christ's final victory over sin.

The Amen response is an affirmation of the people throughout the celebration of the Mass. It is said at the end of the Opening Prayer, the Prayer Over the Gifts, and the Prayer After Communion. The people also say or sing what is often referred to as the "Great Amen" at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer. They also respond with Amen at the point of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ at Communion.

A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Also called the "Our Father". The Lord's Prayer is so titled because it is the prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples as the model of all Christian prayer. Two versions of the Lord's Prayer are given in the Gospels; in Matthew 6:9-15 and in Luke 11:2-4. This most basic prayer of Christianity is created in a simple framework: homage to God and petitions of needs (forgiveness of sins, deliverance from temptation, daily sustenance).

The Our Father is such a perfect prayer that it is offered every time the Eucharistic Liturgy is celebrated at the beginning of the Communion Rite, where the priest and the people pray together "in the words our Savior gave us".

(From a Redemptorist Pastoral Publication)

ALLELUIA

is a Hebrew word adopted by the Christian Church. Hallel is the greatest expression of praise in Hebrew. Combined with Jah, the shortened form of the name of God, JHVH (meaning I AM), it becomes Hallelujah. Alleluia is a Latinized spelling. From the time of the apostles the proclaiming of the Alleluia was a revered custom in ordinary life as well as in connection with the liturgy of the Church.

THE LORD'S DAY

Every celebration of Mass commemorates all the Easter Mysteries: the Lord's Supper at which Christ instituted the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and His Resurrection-all historic events on which Christianity is based. And each Sunday celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which established the Church.

THE PASCHAL CANDLE

represents Christ, the Light of the World. The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ. The wick signifies His humanity, the flame, His divine nature, both body and soul. Five grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross recall the aromatic spices with which His sacred body was prepared for the tomb and also of the five wounds in His feet, hands and side.

Parish Bulletin - May 4, 2008

Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Our Lady of Fatima - Notre Dame de Fatima
Last modified: October 15, 2007
Send mail to webmaster@notredamedefatima.org with questions or comments about this web site.

Parish Bulletin - May 4, 2008

Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Our Lady of Fatima - Notre Dame de Fatima Last modified: October 15, 2007 Send mail to webmaster@notredamedefatima.org with questions or comments about this web site.

Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Our Lady of Fatima - Notre Dame de Fatima
Last modified: October 15, 2007
Send mail to webmaster@notredamedefatima.org with questions or comments about this web site.