Daily readings:
08/03 Monday: [1] 2 Kings 5.1-15a [Gospel] Luke 4.24-30
09/03 Tuesday: [1] Daniel 3.25, 34-43 [Gospel] Matthew 18.21-35
10/03 Wednesday: [1]Deuteronomy 4.1,5- 9 [Gospel] Matthew 5.17-19
11/03 Thursday: [1] Jeremiah 7.23-28 [Gospel] Luke 11.14-23
12/03 Friday: [1] Hosea 14.1-9 [Gospel] Mark 12.28b-34
13/03 Saturday: [1] Hosea 5.15b-6.6 [Gospel] Luke 18.9-14
14/03 Sunday: FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT [1] 2 Chronicles 36.14-17a, 19-23 [2] Ephesians 2.4 -10 [Gospel] John 3.14-21
REFLECTION ON THE READINGS
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
1. First Reading Exodus 20.1-17
Why did God give the commandments to his people? How well do I take them to heart and live them? Do I recognize everything I have as from God? What are we tempted to idolize in our time? Do I place anything before God? Do I bow down to or worship anything/anyone other than God? As a Christian, how should I live them to the full?
Psalm 19: Lord, you have the words of eternal life.”
2. Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1.18, 22- 25
For the Jews, what did the cross signify? How is the cross a sign of the power of God? How would the Greek desire for wisdom have reacted to Christ’s crucifixion? Why do Christians see it as the wisdom of God? What are some stumbling blocks to the message about the Cross today? Do I have answers for them?
“Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ! God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
3. Gospel Reading John 2.13-25
Was the activity in the temple different than usual? Why did Jesus react at that time? Do I sometimes live my faith in a mode of exchange: offering time, talent, resources, prayers, sacrifices in exchange for something I want from God? How does the new covenant free us from an exchange mentality? God’s love “free”? Do we have responsibilities?
PRAY FOR THE SICK: May Chu, Caroline Bayle, Camilo Romero, Adela Lim, Mary Martin, Ky Truong, Gina Tabul, Olivera Lambeta, Ngan Thi Trinh, Thuong Van Tran, Francesca Cabrales, Maria Garcia, Pho Ho, Danita Chow, Hong Van Le, Tuyen Thi Nguyen, Phu Thi Truong, Bernard Boos, Hanh Huynh, Mary Magdalene H, Thanh Thi Dao, Sa Thi Dang, Phuong Van Nguyen, Hoa Xuan Thi Le, Estrella Rodriguez, Felipe Sobredo, Long Van Nguyen, Tuyen Van Nguyen, Patricia Rudolph, Shirley De La Cruz, Dinh Thi Luyen, Fr. Vincent Thao Dinh, Fr. Joseph Thuy Le.
Sunday Mass 28/02 at 11:30 AM Intentions
- For the souls of Rosita Vergara and Minerva Gordon just passed away
- For the soul of Roger Marcuis.
PRAYER FOR THE MONTH (March)
Sacrament of Reconciliation: Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
PARISH NEWS
*** Holy Communion Distribution: We are glad to announce that our Parish will be re-offering “in-person” Holy Communion starting next week on March 13! Communion distribution times will be on Saturdays from 8:15PM-9:00PM and Sundays from 1:00PM–2:00PM on the west side of our church (at the choir entrance). Please be sure to follow the parish safety plan and instructions from the Parish Security Team.
Live-Streamed Mass on Saturdays: at 9am during Lent, followed by Stations of the Cross at 9:45am.
Daily Novena: in preparation for the Feast Day of St. Joseph will be hosted online via Zoom from March 11 to March 18, at 2pm.
Mass for the Feast Day of St. Joseph: will be Live-streamed on Friday, March 19 at 10am.
Parish Learning Incentive Program. Our Parish is currently looking for financial donors for our elementary school. There are 8 classes in the school and each class is funded $300/year. Funds would be used for in-class awards and activities that encourage academic success. Please contact the parish office for more information.
Parish Lenten retreat: “To be with God in the Midst of Sufferings” will be given by Fr. Joseph Mary An Gia Cao, S.J from Rome, will be held via Zoom and live-streamed via YouTube through our parish website on the following dates:
- Tuesday, March 23 from 8pm - 10pm in English
- Wednesday, March 24 from 8pm-10pm in Vietnamese.
Attending via Zoom requires registration through the Eventbrite website. The tickets are limited and available now until March 21.
Lenten confession times:
- Tuesday-Thursday: 7pm to 8pm
- Friday-Saturday: 6pm to 6:45pm.
- For special cases, please contact the parish office to make an appointment.
Fasting during Lent:
Fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday
- Adults: from 18 to 59 years old: fasting and abstinence
- Children from 14 to 17 years: abstain from eating meat
- Elderly from 60 and older: abstain from eating meat
- All Fridays during Lent: abstain from eating meat or can be replaced by acts of charity.
• Exempt: Those who cannot keep fasting and abstinence due to health reasons, can do a self-sacrificing or some kind of sacrifice or charity.
Tax Receipts: Please pick up your tax receipts for 2020 donations to the parish, school and Project Advance at the parish office. They are in numerical order by your envelope number or alphabetical order by family name for donors who do not have envelope numbers.
Parish Pre-school Service: Our Parish is currently preparing to offer “Pre-School Services” in the old rectory beside the school. Preparations include renovations to the old rectory and consultations with Early Childhood Education Professionals. The renovation will be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays this February. If you have any experience in these areas and are able to help with this project, please contact the parish office.
All Were Filled: Do you know anyone struggling to have enough food to eat? Maybe you lost your job due to Covid-19 and are having trouble making ends meet. The All Were Filled Project offers free frozen food packets of hearty soups and/or entrées to put over rice, pasta or potatoes. There is no qualifying requirement to receive the food, and your order is confidential. Every week, you can order your box of food by Friday at 5 pm and pick it up or have it delivered on Friday afternoon the following week. Just call 604-876-7826 or email [email protected] to order a box that has 6 different dishes (7 servings each). We are in this together. Help us get the word out or call to place your order today. No one we know should go hungry!
Weekly Collection Envelopes: for 2021 can be picked up at the church entrance.
Prayers of the Faithful: Can you be an instrument of the Holy Spirit in helping to write General Intercessions for Sunday Mass, once or twice a month? Guidance and mentoring will be provided. Please let the parish office know if you can help.
PARISH INFORMATION
Grade 8 Application now available - St. Patrick Regional Secondary Applications for the 2021-2022 school year are now available online for St. Patrick Regional. For more info, please visit our website at www.stpats.bc.ca.
Mass schedules: The suspension of Masses in person has been extended until further notice by the provincial health officer. Please check our website for further COVID updates.
Livestreamed Masses continue at 11:30 am Sunday in English, and Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday at 9:30 am in Vietnamese.
The Church is open for private prayer: from Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Hand sanitizer, supplies to clean the pews, and marking guides to ensure distancing are available. Please help lower the risk of spreading infection at church by trying to minimize your contacts and staying home when ill, wearing a mask in the church, hand washing/sanitizing, cleaning the pew when you leave and giving other people space to stay safe. Thank you very much!
Stay in Touch: We welcome emails or phone calls to the parish office (604-876-7826 / [email protected]) if you have suggestions or need assistance. Please keep your contact information (address, phone, email) up to date.
Donations: To donate online go to www.rcav.org/sunday-offering and select St. Joseph, Van Offering.
ARCHDIOCESAN NEWS
40 Days for Life - Daily Online Rosary during Lent: Join us for the 40 Days for Life Evening Zoom Rosary at 8:00 pm every night throughout Lent. Sign-up at https://sthelen.ca/events/40-days-for-life-lenten-campaign
Share Lent Series 2021 - This Lent, Development and Peace invites us to share love and spread the message of social fraternity given by Pope Francis in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti. Each week, a different aspect of the work of Development and Peace will be explored through various virtual activities. This series will take place until March 27. Learn more at https://beholdvancouver.org/events/sha re-lent.
Pilgrimage to Holy Rosary Cathedral: will continue to meet outside the Cathedral each Sunday to pray for the restoration of the public celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as long as restrictions on public worship persist.
FREE Estate & Memorial Planning Webinar: Join us for a free webinar to help you plan your estate, learn the beauty of the funeral rite, and start thinking about a pre-need plan on Thursday, March 18 at 11:00 am Register for free at rccav.org This event is presented by Gardens of Gethsemani Catholic Cemetery, a ministry of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
Advance Planning for Catholics - FREE Webinar Series: This free webinar series offers a Catholic perspective on advance care planning, estates, wills, legacy, and memorialization. Register online for free at https://planning.rcav.org/
Into the Deep: St. Joseph and Year of the Family: Join us on Friday, March 19 at 7:00 pm on Zoom to learn more about St. Joseph and the Year of the Family. Register online for free at https://beholdvancouver.org/events/i nto-the-deep-st-joseph-and-the-year-of- the-family *
Navigate Life Together - The Marriage Course: This is the time, more than ever, to invest in your marriage and build a more joyful family, especially during the pandemic. The Marriage Course is a 7-week series designed for married couples whether you’ve been married for 3 or 63 years. Join us on Wednesdays from 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm beginning on March 31. Register online at https://beholdvancouver.org/events/nav igate-life-together-the-marriage-course
CHABC's $500 Bursary for Graduating Students
This year, the Catholic Health Association of BC (CHABC) will award a bursary valued at $500 to a graduating student who is enrolled in a Catholic secondary school, or who is a member of a BC or Yukon parish and enrolled in a public secondary school, or who is home-schooled. To apply for this bursary, students are asked to submit a 500-word essay before April 2, 2021. For essay and submission guidelines, please visit www.chabc.bc.ca/bursary
BEHOLD: Be sure to sign up and check this new archdiocesan portal for spiritual writing, workshops, events and other links! https://beholdvancouver.org/
