St. Boniface Catholic
by Sue Beams

On the Third Sunday of Lent members of St. Boniface reflected on the message of Bishop Corrada for prayers, fasting, and almsgiving. In his homily, Deacon Steve Curry focused on almsgiving. Deacon Steve pointed to many passages in the Bible that reflect God's stand on meeting all the needs of his people. The church has had the Holy Spirit poured out upon it and we must continue the work of Jesus. Not only does the church need the time and talents of its people, money is also needed. When people are searching we need to be able to provide the resources to do the will of God and to finish the work he began.

We all share the fruits of those who came before us. Their sacrifices have given us a foundation to build upon. It is in the book of Genesis that the first reference to `tithing' occurs. The first one-tenth, the best, should be the minimum standard of giving! Tithing is often looked at by Catholics as not demanded, therefore not necessary. That is correct in the area of demanding. We should want to give back to the Almighty. Prosperity is a blessing and a challenge. Everything we have belongs to God! God gave you the gifts and provides all that you have. Use the 10-percent `rule' as a goal. Try it and you will be amazed and blessed for all God has for you.

Iris Mamo, DRE, once again invited parishioners to attend the showing of the Lenten Devotional DVD following Mass. This week's topic was the Seven Deadly Sins: pride, greed, anger, lust, envy, sloth, and gluttony. These are considered Capital sins because they can lead to greater sin. Each of them can be turned around through the use of the Temporal Virtues (last week's lesson!). These devotionals will continue each week through Lent.

Visitors and members enjoyed refreshments following the Sunday Mass.

There will be a Catholic Charismatic Prayer Meeting on Monday, March 3, 2008 at St. Paul's Chapel (behind the Chancery office) at 7:00pm. You are invited to come and be blessed and encouraged.

The Youth of St. Boniface have a service project in the works for March 8, 2008. The Youth (older) will also host a showing of the DVD "The Passion of the Christ." The film has generated much controversy, however we should talk about the movie to explore what Jesus means to us. The date will be announced. For information, contact Alisa Davenport.

I had the pleasure of attending the Holy Mass in Spanish on this past Sunday. I saw first-hand the charisma of Fr. Jesse as he spoke in his native language. His face was aglow with his love of Christ. While I will admit, I did have a little difficulty following the singing (I read neither music nor Spanish) my heart understood everything Fr. Jesse was conveying in his homily. He spoke of the woman at the well and the living water offered by Jesus. His conviction is strong and discernable! I encourage all parishioners to step out of the norm and attend the Eucharist Celebration at least once at the Spanish Mass on Sundays at 12:30. The beauty and glory of the Lord shines in any language!

Congratulations and best wishes to all who celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. We pray for the sick and suffering, may they find comfort in the Lord. We remember the souls of the faithful departed; may they rest in eternal peace. We continue to pray for the men and women serving in the military and keeping vigilant watch over our great nation.May God bless you and yours.