Local News March 2009
DIOCESE OF PHOENIX TO CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK LITURGIES
PHOENIX (March 30, 2009) Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral, 6351 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, and the other parishes of the Diocese of Phoenix will be celebrating a series of Holy Week liturgies leading up to Easter Sunday when the Catholic Church celebrates the resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Following is a summary of some of the major events that will take place:
Sunday, April 5, Palm Sunday
Palms will be distributed during the 9 a.m. Mass at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral to commemorate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. The Mass and the blessing and distribution of palms, which will be repeated in parishes throughout the Diocese, focus on the Pascal Mystery, with special attention to Jesus’ suffering.
Monday, April 6, Pontifical Mass of the Chrism
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, will bless the oil to be used by all Diocesan parishes for baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, and anointing of the sick for the year during a special Mass, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral. Representatives from each of the Diocesan parishes are expected to attend the Chrism Mass to receive the oils for their parish.
Thursday, April 9, Pontifical Mass of the Last Supper
Bishop Olmsted will be the main celebrant at a special 7:30 p.m. Mass at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral to commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles. Holy Thursday, as it is known on the Christian calendar ends with a procession of the reserved Eucharist to an altar of repose where Catholics will be asked, just as the apostles were, to watch and pray with Jesus on this long, dark night. This Mass will be repeated at parishes throughout the Diocese.
Friday, April 10, Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion & Death
Bishop Olmsted will preside at a solemn commemorative service at 3 p.m. at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral. The cross will be venerated; prayers will be offered for the Church and for all people; and a Communion service will follow. This liturgy will be repeated at parishes throughout the Diocese, and there will be no Masses offered in Catholic Churches on Good Friday. In addition, some parishes, such as St. Thomas More, 6180 W. Utopia Rd., Glendale, will be conducting a “Living Stations of the Cross,” during which students and parishioners will participate in a reenactment of Stations of the Cross. St. Thomas More will conduct its reenactment at 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 11, Easter Vigil Mass
Bishop Olmsted will preside at a 7:30 p.m. Mass at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral during which adults will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church and other adults will complete the sacraments of initiation (be confirmed and receive the Eucharist). Such Masses will take place on Holy Saturday throughout the Diocese.
Sunday, April 12, Easter Sunday Mass
Bishop Olmsted will celebrate Mass at 9 a.m. for inmates at Tent City of the Maricopa County Corrections Department. Please contact the sheriff’s office for permission to cover this event. Masses celebrating the resurrection of Jesus also will take place at Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral and at parishes throughout the Diocese.
In special Gilbert Mass, bishop prays for abuse victims
Mar. 26, 2009 11:26 AM
The Arizona Republic
Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted prayed for the recovery of abuse victims as well as for the perpetrators themselves in a special Mass in Gilbert for victims of clergy abuse.
The Mass for Healing and Reconciliation was held at St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish on Wednesday. It coincided with the Annunciation of the Lord celebration, a Catholic tradition that celebrates the day an angel told the Virgin Mary she was with child.
The ceremony opened with a display by The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, and lasted about 90 minutes. <read story>
BISHOP OLMSTED RESPONDS TO NOTRE DAME’S DECISION
TO INVITE PRESIDENT OBAMA TO COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
March 26, 2009 - The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, has written a letter to Fr. John Jenkins, President of University of Notre Dame, expressing his sadness regarding the University’s decision to invite President Barack Obama to speak at this year’s commencement exercises and to award President Obama an honorary degree. The following is the text of that letter.
<click here>
Resurrection Church has new life after storm
Mar. 14, 2009 08:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
In the midst of a storm, Sister Anne Marie Smith heard rumblings from the church sanctuary.
When she entered the worship area, flakes of wood were falling like snow from the ceiling.
Minutes after she closed the door to get help, the roof caved in.
That was about 20 months ago.
Since then, parish members of Tempe's Resurrection Catholic Church have worked together to rebuild their church. <read story>
Diocese of Phoenix TV Mass Broadcast
Moves to KAZT-TV (AZ-TV7, CABLE 13) April 19
PHOENIX (March 12, 2009) The TV Mass of the Diocese of Phoenix, which is broadcast live each Sunday from Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, will move to KAZT-TV (AZ-TV7, Cable 13) on Sunday, April 19, and now the broadcasts will run 90 minutes long.
The weekly TV Mass has been broadcast live for several years on KUTP-TV, Channel 45 (Cable Channel 9) for 60 minutes. The final broadcast on Channel 45 will be April 12, Easter Sunday.
The new 90-minute format will enable the Diocese to bring the Sunday Mass from the Cathedral in its entirety each week. As many of those who have watched the broadcast over the years know, the TV Mass often ends each week with a pre-taped final blessing from Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted because the actual Mass at the Cathedral will sometimes continue beyond the 60-minute broadcast.
Under the new arrangement with AZ-TV, the Diocese will be able to broadcast the entire Mass even if it lasts beyond the hour. There will also be additional time to follow the Mass with features on programs, services and events of the Diocese of Phoenix as well as opportunities to showcase some of the organizations that assist with sponsorship of the Mass broadcast.
“We are pleased to partner with KAZT-TV on the TV Mass Broadcast,” said the Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix. “This new association will allow us to continue and even enhance what has become a vital television ministry to many Catholics in Arizona.”
The TV Mass of the Diocese of Phoenix is now also available on the internet at www.catholictvmass.com. The Mass is streamed live on-line each Sunday during the normal broadcast and is repeated on-line throughout the week.
For more information on the TV Mass, go to the Diocese of Phoenix web site at www.diocesephoenix.org. You can also access more information on KAZT-TV by going to the station’s web site at www.aztv.com.
Christian Churches of Phoenix to Host National Workshop on Christian Unity
PHOENIX (March 11, 2009) There will be major presentations on bridging the gap between people of different religions, races and ethnic backgrounds as Phoenix hosts the 2009 National Workshop on Christian Unity from Monday, April 27, until Thursday, April 30, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix Hotel, 122 N. 2nd St., Phoenix.
Entitled “Desert Pilgrimage,” the workshop will feature presentations on the Latino-Catholic perspective, racism as an impediment to ecumenism, Mormons and their relationship to the ecumenical movement, Christian-Muslim relationships and Christian focus on the issue of immigration. Guest speakers include Rev. Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches; Dr. Margaret Mitchell, professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at the University of Chicago Divinity School; Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Archdiocese of San Francisco; and Rev. Dr. Cecil “Mel” Robeck, Jr., professor of Church History and Ecumenics and director of the David J. DuPlessius Center for Christian Spirituality at the Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix, will participate in the opening worship service at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 27, at St. Mary’s Basilica, 231 N. Third St., Phoenix. The Most Rev. Gerald Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson, will also participate in a presentation of immigration reform during the workshop.
The registration fee is $150 for the four-day workshop, or $125 if participants register prior to March 16. More information and registration material is available on the organization’s web site at www.nwcu.org.
Bishop Olmsted Responds to President's Executive Order on Embryonic Stem Cells
By Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted | March 10, 2009 | The Catholic Sun
On Monday, March 9, President Obama signed an executive order that provides federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. This means that American taxpayers will now be paying for the killing of human beings at a very early stage in their lives (as embryos), so that scientific research can make use of them for experiments that may or may not yield positive results.
We U.S. taxpayers will now be forced to pay, whether we wish to or not, for the killing of our youngest brothers and sisters on the dubious hypothesis that their murders might, in the future, benefit others. Why did President Obama make this decision? <read story>
St. Mary’s High School Wins Boys State Basketball Title
Mar. 7, 2009 07:26 PM
The Arizona Republic
Demetrius Walker wanted the ball. His team gave it to him. And he closed the deal.
A state championship that eluded St. Mary's in the final game the past two seasons was the Catholic school's after the senior guard scored 24 points and established a can't-lose intensity from the start in a 70-62 victory before more than 13,000 Saturday at Jobing.com Arena. <read story>
Halfway point reached in $10.2 mil goal
Pastors, parish leaders key to illustrating CDA needs
By Ambria Hammel | March 5, 2009 | The Catholic Sun
The troubled economy hasn’t stopped local Catholics from investing in the Church’s mission and the needs of the community.
After only three weeks of parish participation, Catholics at parishes throughout the diocese have pledged nearly 61 percent of their $10.2 million goal for the 2009 diocesan Charity and Development Appeal.
That’s about 1 percent behind where the appeal was at this point last year. People continue to step forward to help the more than 70 diocesan and other charitable agencies funded by the CDA. <read article>
ST. MARY MAGDALENE IN GILBERT
TO BREAK GROUND FOR FIRST PHASE OF PARISH CAMPUS
PHOENIX (March 4, 2009) St. Mary Magdalene Parish will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of construction of its parish campus at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, at the northeast corner of Williams Field Road and Park Crest Street in Gilbert as part of the annual parish picnic that will begin at 1 p.m. and continue until 4 p.m.
Fr. Greg Menegay, pastor of St. Mary Magdalene, will lead the groundbreaking that will formally initiate construction of a 20,000-square-foot, multi-purpose facility that will meet the parish needs for worship, religious education, social activities and administration. Actual construction may not begin until June, but once the project is completed, the parish will have a permanent location for all activities. At the present time, the parish is holding weekend Masses at Gateway Pointe Elementary School and weekday Masses at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
“The first phase of construction will establish us on our parish property,” Fr. Menegay said. “The vision of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Community is to eventually raise sufficient funds to build a church campus that will feature an inspiring place of worship and serve as an inviting meeting place for our parishioners.”
More information on the programs and services of the parish can be accessed through the parish website at http://www.smarymag.org.
