6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
While the full bulletin could not be produced this week because the office was closed due to the snow, here are a selection of key announcements.
Lenten Activities
- On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010, Masses are: 9:00am, 12:00pm, 5:30pm, and bilingual Mass at 7:30pm.
- We will host a Senior Lunch in Benedict Hall after the noon Mass. Hosted by the Circle of Caring there will be a simple lunch of soup and quiche. Marymount will offer hearing screening before and after Mass. If you are interested in the screening, please RSVP to Norma Canales, njjcanales@cox.net, 202-531-8189, as soon as possible.
- Tuesday Night Soup Suppers are back, starting Feb. 23. Bring soup to share or a donation. Soup is served at 6:30pm, Speaker begins at seven. This year’s theme is our Parish’s centennial values: Welcoming, Nurturing, Empowering, Celebrating, and Serving. Please note: there is no Tuesday night Mass this year.
- NEW! Lenten Wednesdays: Evenings of Reconciliation. Bishop Loverde has invited the community to visit our parishes on the Wednesdays of Lent for a special event, “The Light is on for you.” From 6:30pm to 8:00pm the sacrament of reconciliation will be available. At 7:30pm we will celebrate the Stations of the Cross in Spanish and English with bi-lingual hymns. At 8:00pm we offer an opportunity to have a conversation with your neighbors, including immigrant members, to share our stories, our faith and our hopes. These dialogues fulfill a goal of our Pastoral Council: to strengthen the bonds of community among different groups and cultures. Jesus unites His people through His passion.
- Family Stations of the Cross and Soup Supper Friday, March 19th, 6:00pm-8:00pm. Join other families in Religious Education for fellowship and prayer. For more information, contact Susan Grunder in the parish office at 703-527-5500, ext. 118, or sgrunder@stcharleschurch.org
- Lenten Faith Sharing Groups will be starting the week of Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17th. To signup, contact Cathy Dante in the parish office at 703-527-5500, ext. 115, or adultfaith@stcharleschurch.org.
Bishop’s Lenten Appeal
This weekend every parishioner will have the opportunity to support the 2010 Bishop’s Lenten Appeal (BLA). The BLA helps to support diocesan offices and ministries that serve tens of thousands of people each year. During Mass you will be receiving information and a pledge card. Please prayerfully consider your gift amount for the BLA. BLA information will also be available next weekend.
Ash Wednesday Collection for VOICE
St. Charles is proud to be a founding member of VOICE, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement. It is a multi-faith, multi-racial, multi-issue organization dedicated to making changes on social justice issues affecting the lives of low- and middle- income residents in Northern Virginia. Our Ash Wednesday collection will go to paying our VOICE dues of $10,000. Please consider giving generously to this organization. For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Gail Goodridge gail.goodridge@gmail.com, or Elizabeth Belmonte carmenbelmontef@hotmail.com.
See the Parish online calendar for more details
and the list of highlighted events.
Food Pantry
Our Food Pantry is low! We are currently in need of cereal, rice, dry beans, pancake mix, syrup, peanut butter, jelly, powdered milk and canned fruit. Thank you so much for your continued generosity to those in need.
Justice for Immigrants
At St. Charles, VOICE is supporting the US Bishop’s Justice for Immigrants campaign. This weekend, Feb. 13th-14th, and next weekend, Feb. 20th-21st, VOICE will be present after Mass with postcards from the JFI campaign calling for a fair, just, and comprehensive immigration policy. For more information about this campaign, please visit www.justiceforimmigrants.org.
Mid-Session Update
Virginia’s General Assembly is in session, and passes its halfway point this week. This Monday, Feb. 15th, at 9:00am, Virginia Interfaith Center is sponsoring a mid-session update. We will learn the status of legislation we’re interested in, the best way to move forward from here, and which legislators need to hear from us! Join us at the Jewish Community Center at 8900 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031.
Peace Symposium Feb. 20
The Diocesan Peace Symposium, previously scheduled for Feb. 6th, has been rescheduled due to snow. It will now be held in Benedict Hall on Saturday, Feb. 20th, from 10:00am-1:00pm. Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love, an award-winning teacher based at Catholic University, will lead our symposium. We will be discussing Religion’s use a source of peace or conflict, and how we to move towards just and lasting peace. For more information, contact Ross Connealy, at roloconn@aol.com, or call Marisa Vertrees in the parish office, 703-527-5500, ext. 126.
How to Talk with the Inactive Catholics in Your Life
Part of the Conversations with Creedon series, we will host this talk next Sunday, February 21st, after the 6pm Mass. Join Fr. Gerry, AnnaLaNave, Regional Director for Landings, and Melanie Rigney for a conversation about welcoming inactive Catholics. Anna and Melanie recently coauthored When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics and work with returning Catholics as part of the Landings program here at St. Charles.
Rice Bowl
It’s time again for Operation Rice Bowl. Catholic Relief Services asks us to eat simpler meals during Lent, and to donate the money we save to those in need. All money raised through Operation Rice Bowl goes directly to program funding. One quarter of the rice bowl funds support a program at St. Charles. This year it supports our Dominican Republic mission. Rice Bowls are available in baskets at the parish exits.
Cabaret
Cabaret needs your talent & time. Show your support of our teens attending work camp by sharing your talents, purchasing dinner tickets, and enjoying the show. For more information, contact Germaine Leahy at leahyhome@aol.com, or 703-525-3250.
