Saturday, March 30, 2013

Bulletin 146

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

March 31st, 2013 Easter Sunday

Epistle: I Cor. 5: 7-8
Gospel: Mk. 16: 1-7

Mass schedule April 1st through April 5th

Easter Monday No Latin Mass
Easter Tuesday
Easter Wednesday
Easter Thursday
Easter Friday

On Easter Sunday the Mass highlights the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! The Mass also alludes to the spiritual resurrection experienced by all those who have been baptized. We recall Christ’s death on the Cross through which He triumphed over sin and Satan, but today we joyfully emphasize how Christ rises from the grave to the dismay of His enemies!

In the office of the Church we proclaim: “This is the day which the Lord had made; let us celebrate it with transports of joy.”

The Body of Christ which previously had been scourged, beaten and nailed to the Cross comes forth from the tomb in resplendent fashion! The Victim once slain by the cruelty of man now shows in a glorious way His triumph over death. The Resurrection is the most concrete proof of Christ’s Divinity. Our belief in the Resurrection is the foundation of our faith. Saint Augustine once wrote that the Resurrection of Christ is God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work! Saint Paul writes: “If Christ be not risen again your faith is in vain.” (I Cor. 15) Furthermore, “God hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He hath raised us up together with Christ and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places.”


In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching



Sunday, March 24, 2013

Bulletin 145

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

March 24th, 2013 Palm Sunday

There will be no Liturgies in the Extraordinary Form during Holy Week. Mass on Easter Sunday is at 2:30pm.

“Let the faithful be invited to take part in the Procession of Palms in greater numbers, this rendering Christ the King public witness of their love and gratitude.”

Palm Sunday commemorates the last triumph of Jesus Christ on earth and begins Holy Week. Palm Sunday is a celebration of the triumphant entry of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Christ’s followers cut off branches from trees and laid them on the ground while proclaiming Christ as the Son of David. In commemoration of this event palms are blessed to begin the Liturgy and are carried in solemn procession.

It will be only days later that these very followers will call for the death of Jesus Christ. However, as Christians we believe that Christ’s death was not a failure. It was through His Passion and Death that Christ conquered sin, Satan and the world! “I, if I be lifted up…will draw all things to Myself” (Jn. 12:32).

On Palm Sunday we give thanks to Jesus Christ for redeeming us through His Passion and Death. Christ is our triumphant King. He is King of the universe and King of our hearts if we allow Him to be.

In Christ,

Father Jeffery Fasching


Saturday, March 16, 2013

Bulletin 144

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Father Jeff Fasching

March 17th, 2013 Passion Sunday

Epistle: Heb. 9: 11-15; Gospel: Jn. 8: 46-59

Mass schedule March 18th through March 22nd

Monday of Passion Week--NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday—Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Wednesday of Passion Week

Thursday of Passion Week

Friday of Passion Week

During the Fridays of Lent following the 12:15pm Mass, there will be Stations of the Cross with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer before a Crucifix.”



Laws of Days of Abstinence: The Discipline of 1962

• Applies on one’s 7th birthday.
• Complete Abstinence: all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas.
• Partial Abstinence (meat and soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at the principle meal): all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost and the Assumption.
• Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation
Laws of Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• Applies for those aged 21 to 59, inclusive.
• Days of Lent from Ash Wednesday inclusive, Ember Days, and Vigils of Christmas, Pentecost, and the Assumption.
• One full meal permitted and two other meals may be taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal.
The Law of the Eucharistic Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• The complete fast from all food and drink (except for water or medicine) for three hours before the reception of Holy Communion. In the document reducing the fast to three hours, the Pope still encouraged those who were able to maintain the midnight fast which was the previous discipline.

As baptized Christians we are all vessels of election. God has given over to us an immense treasure of grace that we may be holy and spotless in His presence and that we may worthily carry His name before the nations. We have been purchased, and at a price, so we are to glorify God in our bodies. The grace we received at baptism must not remain sterile. We cannot be perfect and thus worthy of God unless we fight manfully at all times against our tendencies to evil.

Saint Alphonsus says that what saddens Jesus Christ is the sight of a baptized soul habitually negligent, without concern for such disorder, without seeking to escape that state of torpor, without fearing that his shameful sleep is the forerunner of spiritual death. You are neither cold by mortal sin, nor hot with an ardent love. You are lukewarm and provoke the disgust of the Almighty. God must restrain Himself not to vomit such a soul out of His mouth! A lukewarm soul is like the paralytic lying helpless before the fountain of grace without strength to approach it. We must wish for Christ’s coming. He alone can cure us. We cannot allow our disease to invade all our members so that we no longer even recoil at the touch of sin! We cannot allow our will to sleep so that it no longer thrills at the remembrance of God’s favors. We cannot allow our faculties to become dulled so that they no longer have any spirit either for prayer or for action or for combat!

Speaking of venial sins, the saint reminds us that the danger is even greater for those who commit many venial sins through attachment to any passion, such as pride, ambition, aversion to a neighbor, or an inordinate affection for any person. Satan slowly draws us in first by a slender thread, then by a cord, then by a rope, and finally by a chain of Hell—that is by mortal sin! Then we are his slaves. We must fight to be slaves of Jesus Christ, not Satan!

Fr. Jeff Fasching


Sunday, March 10, 2013

Bulletin 143

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Father Jeff Fasching

March 10th, 2013 Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

Epistle: Gal. 4: 22-31; Gospel: Jn. 6: 1-15

Mass schedule March 11th through March 15th

Monday—Feria of Lent-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday—Feria of Lent-NO LATIN MASS

Wednesday—Feria of Lent

Thursday—Feria of Lent

Friday—Feria of Lent

During the Fridays of Lent following the 12:15pm Mass, there will be Stations of the Cross with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer before a Crucifix.”



Laws of Days of Abstinence: The Discipline of 1962

• Applies on one’s 7th birthday.
• Complete Abstinence: all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas.
• Partial Abstinence (meat and soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at the principle meal): all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost and the Assumption.
• Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation
Laws of Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• Applies for those aged 21 to 59, inclusive.
• Days of Lent from Ash Wednesday inclusive, Ember Days, and Vigils of Christmas, Pentecost, and the Assumption.
• One full meal permitted and two other meals may be taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal.
The Law of the Eucharistic Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• The complete fast from all food and drink (except for water or medicine) for three hours before the reception of Holy Communion. In the document reducing the fast to three hours, the Pope still encouraged those who were able to maintain the midnight fast which was the previous discipline.

The love Jesus Christ shows us is immense. Christ descended from Heaven to redeem us and save us from the power of Satan and the grip of Hell. “I am come that they may have life and may have it more abundantly” (John 10.10). Jesus came to earth not only to restore us to the life of grace without which we cannot hope to attain Heaven, but to give us an even better life that we had lost through our sin. Saint Leo once said that the benefits which we have received from the death of Jesus far outweigh the injury which Satan has done us by sin! This is why Saint Paul writes: “where sin abounded, grace did more abound” (Rom. 5.20).

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. What more proof do we need of God’s love for us? We were reconciled to God by Christ Jesus when were still His enemies! Jesus came not to destroy evil mankind, but to save it. Christ teaches us to be meek, and to bear and pardon injuries. However, meekness is not to be equated with weakness. Rather, meekness involves embracing compassion, patience and humility. These are all qualities found in genuine and sincere Christians. Jesus came to find His sheep that were lost. Have you allowed Him to find you?

In Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Friday, March 1, 2013

Bulletin 142

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

March 3rd, 2013 Third Sunday of Lent

Epistle: Eph. 5: 1-9; Gospel: Lk. 11: 14-28

Mass schedule March 4th through March 8th

Monday—Feria of Lent-NO LATIN MASS

Tuesday—Feria of Lent

Wednesday—Feria of Lent

Thursday—Feria of Lent

Friday—Feria of Lent

During the Fridays of Lent following the 12:15pm Mass, there will be Stations of the Cross with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.

On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the “Prayer before a Crucifix.”

Christ gave His life of His own free will. He died out of love for you and me. He came to show His infinite love and He thus gave His all. He submitted to His Passion and lived a life of self-denial to give us an example of how we are to live. Despite His sufferings, He must have experienced joy in knowing He was saving mankind.

If we embrace Christ’s lifestyle we will be able to resist the corruption of a paganized society. Immorality, fornication and impurity run rampant all around us. No matter what the world succumbs to we should always resist these evils because we are called to holiness of life. We are temples of the Holy Ghost. We have been purchased at a great price!

We must therefore strive to live with modesty and refinement. We must keep watch over our senses and hearts. We must avoid all occasions of sin. We should frequent the sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Communion. We should foster a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and beg for contrition and reparation.

In Christ,
Father Jeff Fasching


Laws of Days of Abstinence: The Discipline of 1962

• Applies on one’s 7th birthday.
• Complete Abstinence: all Fridays of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the Vigil of Christmas.
• Partial Abstinence (meat and soup or gravy made from meat permitted once a day at the principle meal): all the days of Lent, the Ember Days of Wednesday and Saturday, and the Vigils of Pentecost and the Assumption.
• Abstinence from meat is dispensed on Holy Days of Obligation
Laws of Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• Applies for those aged 21 to 59, inclusive.
• Days of Lent from Ash Wednesday inclusive, Ember Days, and Vigils of Christmas, Pentecost, and the Assumption.
• One full meal permitted and two other meals may be taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal.
The Law of the Eucharistic Fast: The Discipline of 1962
• The complete fast from all food and drink (except for water or medicine) for three hours before the reception of Holy Communion. In the document reducing the fast to three hours, the Pope still encouraged those who were able to maintain the midnight fast which was the previous discipline.