Facts about Easter
- Easter is the oldest Christian holiday on record.
- More Americans google search for “church” around Easter than at any other time.
- President Hayes in 1878 hosted the first White House Easter Egg Roll.
- The most expensive chocolate Easter bunny cost $49,000. Just don’t eat the two diamond eyes!
- Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25.
Quote from Living as Missionary Disciples
Pope Francis calls for a pastoral plan that is solidly focused on the fundamental reality, which is the encounter with Christ, with his mercy and with his love, and to love our brothers and sisters as he has loved us.” (pg. 18)
Upcoming Event
Renewal Conference
Jesus Christ’s Mission is the Same. Our Reality is Different.
Friday, March 22 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Registration Deadline Friday, March 15
What you don’t want to miss:
- Well-known keynoter speaking on 4 concrete ways to revitalize your Family of Parishes
- Six pillars breakouts led by experienced facilitators
- Presentation by Alpha National Office
Who should attend? Anyone in the Family of Parishes interested in making your Family a vibrant community. $25.00 per person for the whole day including a light breakfast and a full lunch. Click here to register.
Youth Rally
Sunday, April 28 from Noon to 5:00 pm
Villa Maria College
Grades 8 through 12, Catholic High Schools, and Elementary Schools are invited! Keynote speaker for the event is ValLimar Jansen. She is a college/university professor, a leader of worship and prayer, and a workshop presenter at conferences across the United States. ValLimar Jansen has sung sacred music since she was five years old. $20.00 per person. Registration to follow.
Alpha News!
Alpha USA has established a partnership with the Diocese of Buffalo and offers their services to us free of charge. This year we will be promoting and supporting two tracks: youth and adult. Keep your eyes on this newsletter for all the opportunities offered from the National Alpha Office.
Alpha Upcoming Events:
- Wednesday, March 20 (Online). Monthly online prayer gatherings. A time to pray for all the Families in the Diocese of Buffalo. 1:00 – 1:30. To register click here.
- Wednesday, April 17 (Online) Monthly online prayer gatherings. A time to pray for all the Families in the Diocese of Buffalo. 1:00 – 1:30. To register click here.
- Thursday, April 25 (Online) The Cultural Conversation. 1:00 – 2:15. Link in April newsletter.
- Sunday, April 28 (In Person) Diocese of Buffalo Youth Rally. Alpha Break-out Sessions. Villa Maria College.
- Starting May 2: Alpha Preview for Catholic Leaders. (Online) Six sessions: May 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 and 21. Time: 2-3:15. In each session participants will have an experience of the Alpha sessions as well as understand the cultural values of Alpha: hospitality, listening, empowerment, evangelistic intentionality, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Space is limited. Registration in April newsletter.
- Friday, May 17 Youth Ministry Mindset Gathering (In Person). 5:30 – 9:30 PM. Place TBD. Registration in April newsletter.
- Saturday, May 18 Two Tracks. (In Person) Training for how to run Alpha and how to run Alpha Youth. Location TBD. Registration in April newsletter.
- Thursday, May 30. Youth Ministry Mindset. 1:00 – 2:15 (Online) Registration in April newsletter.
- Week of September 15: Start of 11-week sessions of Alpha in Families. We encourage two tracks: youth and adults.
- Sat. Nov. 2: Holy Spirit retreat given by National Alpha office for all youth of the Diocese that are participating in Alpha. Location to be determined. (In person)
- Sat. Nov. 9: Holy Spirit retreat given by National Alpha office for all adults of the Diocese that are participating in Alpha. Location to be determined. (In person)
Click here for a 2-minute video on Alpha. Introduction to Alpha
Family 29 (Angola, Farnham, Athol Springs, Hamburg and Lake View) will be doing LITE the five Wednesdays in May. Sessions rotate among the parish family. Contact Liz Woods 724-841-5644. If your FoP is doing LITE soon let us know so we can advertise it.
Pastoral Suggestions
Volunteers: At the heart of every Family of Parishes are the volunteers. They are vital to the level of impact a parish community can have. But how do we get them and keep them. Under the Stewardship Pillar, the committee is asked to address the topic of volunteers. Rebuild has put out several 30-minute videos on volunteers. Here is one of them. The video addresses:
- Attracting volunteers
- Building them up, supporting them
- Connecting them to the parish team
- Developing their gifts in that ministry
- Evaluation of their term of service
Easter Suggestions
Practice radical hospitality: A lot of inactive Catholics come to church on Easter Sunday. Don’t miss this opportunity. Here are 2 suggested gifts as people leave church:
Easter Water
Give out small plastic containers of the Easter water. (You can use old medicine bottles.) On each bottle put: an address label with the message: “May this Easter water remind you of your baptism. Daily bless yourself with this holy water.” (name of parish, website, phone number)
Flower Seeds
Hand out Butterfly seeds. (these could also be used for Mother’s Day) Possible message on seed packet: The seed is the word of God. The soil is you. Receive this seed with a desire to grow in the Lord.
Any Snowbirds in your Family of Parishes?
In early May, bring them together with a wine and cheese social and ask them to share their experience of the parish they attended in the South. Any ideas that could be incorporated into our Family of Parishes? Ask them to bring copies of the bulletins to see what is happening in those communities.
Inclusive Easter Mass
April 3rd: St. Bernadette Church, Orchard Park – Inclusive Easter Mass for those with special needs. 7:00 PM. The Mass will be live-streamed on Saint Bernadette’s Facebook page.
Closing Thoughts:
Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.