Dear St. James Family,

This Sunday, when you come to Mass, you will quickly notice that our beautiful statuary has been covered with purple fabric. Why? April 3 is Passion Sunday, which marks the entrance of the Church into this more intense part of Lent in preparation for Holy Week, a time when we practice penance of the eyes by covering beautiful images, so that they might be revealed in their glory on Easter. You are encouraged to do this at home as well, as a daily visual reminder that amplifies the penitential nature of this holy time of remembering the days of the Lord leading up to his passion and death.

In addition to veils, we will be beginning the 10:15 Mass of Passion Sunday with an outdoor procession and the chanting of the Great Litany, a beautiful penitential prayer asking for the Lord's mercy and grace. This litany has a rich history as as the first piece of liturgy written in the English Language. We will begin in the church, so that you can reserve your seat and then we will process outside the church, around the perimeter of the property and back into the church for the beginning of Mass. 

VISIT BY FR. KRAMER ON BEHALF OF BISHOP LOPES

SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2022

The Reverend Rick Kramer, Moderator of the Curia and Director of Vocations and Clergy Formation, will be flying in from the Ordinariate headquarters in Houston and will be at both Masses this Sunday. He will also be sharing about news from around the Ordinariate and be available for questions during adult religious education, 9:15  AM – 10:00 AM. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the Ordinariate and how it is thriving and growing throughout North America.  

PALM SUNDAY

APRIL 10, 2022

On April 10, 2022 be sure to arrive early in order to participate in the blessing of palms and the joyful procession into the church recalling Christ's entrance into Jerusalem. Receive a blessed palm and then during the Mass, participate in the dramatic reading of Christ's passion. You can then take home your blessed palm to be displayed in your house as a devotional item, until it is returned to the Church and burned next year in preparation for Ash Wednesday. 

FAMILY STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON GOOD FRIDAY

APRIL 15, 2022, 10:00 AM at MARYWOOD

Remember our Lord’s passion on Good Friday and participate in a devotion that goes back to the Blessed Mother who is said to often revisit the sites of her son’s crucifixion.

We will meet at the Marywood Retreat Center Parking Lot (235 Marywood Dr, St Johns) and I will then lead the praying of the stations along a wide trail through the woods. Following the stations you are encouraged to have packed and brought some meatless snacks and a blanket or chairs to picnic at the beautiful grounds of the Marywood Retreat Center. This is a child friendly opportunity to remember the significance of this day while connecting with other families. Because the retreat center is closed that day, there are no easily accessible bathrooms so please plan appropriately. Share this event with others via Facebook. 

STRUGGLE WITH PRAYER? THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU.

APRIL 10 & 24, 2022, 9:15-10:00 AM

Join me on these two Sunday mornings for an interactive opportunity to learn about prayer, how to lift your heart to the Lord in spite of distractions and challenges that push this most vital connection to the side. Learn from the teaching of our Lord Jesus and the wisdom gained over 2,000 years of the experience of the saints and others.

EASTER MASS LOCATION CHANGE

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2022 

To better accommodate and welcome the number of guests,  St. James Easter Day Masses & Confession will be taking place at the Hardage-Giddens Chapel: 11801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Our beautiful altar and statuary will be setup at the chapel by our dedicated (but always in need of help if you would willing to join :-) setup team. There will be no services at the normal Sunday location (12447 Mandarin Rd) on Easter. 

A DAY FOR FALLEN AWAY CATHOLICS

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2022

On Divine Mercy Sunday there is opportunity to receive an abundant outpouring of God's graces and mercies, a day when Jesus longs to immerse sinners in the abyss of his mercy. The Church even provides a plenary indulgence: if a person goes to Confession and then receives Jesus in Holy Communion on April 24, 2022 he or she can obtain the complete forgiveness of all sins and all of the due punishments. Please gather and invite all those you are able, and bring fainting souls to the spring of Christ's mercy so that he can heal and strengthen them. There will be an abundance of opportunity to go to confession both before and during Mass.

SUPERSTITION, SUICIDE, DEATH PENALTY, EXTRA MARITAL SEXUALITY

SUNDAY MORNING CLASS, MAY 1-15, 9:15-10 AM

I will be digging into the Catholic moral teachings that some find difficult. Come and join the discussion, strengthen your faith, and connect to others as we move through the fascinating incites gleaned from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Easy, relaxed format in which any question is acceptable and welcomed.

Faithfully Yours,

Father Mayer

Parochial Administrator (pastor)

St. James Catholic Church

A Community of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter

www.StJamesCC.org

904-999-1423

office@StJamesCC.org

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