Hello everyone! I hope your Lent is going well. If you feel like you have failed in any of your Lenten practices, don’t be too discouraged! Sometimes our failures in our resolutions fulfill the very purpose of Lent – to remind us of just how weak we are and how much we need a savior. In the first part of Lent, the Scripture readings at Mass focus more on the “ethical” aspects of our lives such as fasting, prayer, almsgiving, conversion of heart, forgiveness, love of enemies, not judging, not condemning, being more humble, etc. Jesus challenges us and calls us to conversion. The readings in the second half of Lent shift more onto Jesus Christ himself and who he is – the Son of God, healer, life-giver, savior. When we realize in the first part of Lent that we need a savior, the second part of Lent gives us the answer and the hope. It would be a great tragedy for someone who is drowning to reject the outstretched hand of someone trying to save them from a boat because in their pride they thought they could save themselves, that they do not need a savior, that they “do not need God.” As Christians, we might sometimes fall into that category of thinking that we’re not drowning or in need of help. When we make resolutions to sin no more or to take on penitential practices, then we quickly realize just how powerless we are. In all humility, do we prostrate ourselves before the Lord and say, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean”? Jesus is ready to say, “I do will it. Be made clean.”

We pray for the repose of the soul of long-time previous parishioner of Immaculate Conception, Sandy Barrett, who passed away on February 27.  You may send condolences to William 'Bill' Barrett at 5633 Hatton Ct, Hilliard, OH 43026. You can find her obituary here: https://www.tiddfuneralservice.com/obituary/sandy-barrett

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

Every parish in the diocese has been asked to survey their parishioners. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and we ask everyone to please take the survey (all adults in the household who are engaged with the parish should take the survey). The surveys are confidential and the easiest way to take the survey is online at: https://www.catholicleaders.org/columbusdmi and then select the parish. Please call the office if you need a paper survey.

Currently, 37% of parishioners at OLL and 28% at ICC have completed the survey. We want 100% of parishioners taking this survey. There are only 16 days left. Please take a moment today and complete the survey. 

March is OLL’s month to staff the food pantry in Ada. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. The Ada Food Pantry is located in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, the entrance to the Pantry is directly across from the outside Post Office mailbox. Open Tuesday 4-6 pm and Saturday 10 am – Noon.

As of today, there is nobody signed up for tomorrow from 10 to noon.

FIRST SATURDAY MASS TOMORROW AT ICCWe will have our First Saturday Mass tomorrow at ICC at 9am. The Mass will be followed by Adoration and confessions from 9:30-10:30am and end with Benediction. There will be no First Saturday Mass in April since that is Holy Saturday. No Masses are permitted on that day until the Easter vigil.

Instead of holding a penance service this Lent, I am making the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) more readily available. In addition to the regularly scheduled times for confession (Tuesdays from 6-7pm at OLL and First Saturdays at ICC from 9:30-10:30am), I will be hearing confessions starting one hour before and for one hour after Mass for one weekend at each parish. This weekend of March 6 and 7^th, I will be hearing confessions at ICC on Saturday from 3-3:50pm and then after Mass from 5-6pm or later if needed. Then again on Sunday morning from 8-8:50am and after Mass from 10-11am or later. At OLL, I will hear confessions on the weekend of March 13 and 14^th, from 4:30pm and after Mass for an hour on Saturday. Then again, Sunday, one hour before and for one hour after. I will be using the confessionals and the white noise machine. Hand sanitizer will be placed outside of the confessionals and I ask that masks be worn in the confessional. 

In addition, on March 29th the Monday of Holy Week I will be hearing confessions from 4-7pm at OLL and Fr. Jeffrey will be hearing confessions at ICC from 4-7pm. This “Reconciliation Monday” is part of a diocesan-wide effort where every parish will be having confessions at that time. That time is to encourage people to go to confession who have been away for a long time so if you are able to go to confession at any other time, please consider that. See the attached flyer. 

Attached is also a quick guide for how to make a good confession. 

We had the women’s conference from the Diocese of Columbus a couple of weeks ago, but here is the national conference for women which is virtual from March 12-14^th. https://go.virtualcatholicconference.com/NCWC2021

This is a shameless plug. My oldest sister wrote a book called Negotiating with Your Kids: A Guide to Raising Successful Children. My mother did the illustrations. I purchased 25 copies for each parish for any family to take. They are in the parish hall at OLL or by the table at the front doors of the church at ICC. If you do not get a copy at church, you can find the book on Amazon. 

Attached is this weekend’s worship aid, the bulletins, Reconciliation Monday flyer, and the guide to confession. 

The live-stream of the Mass will take place this weekend from ICC at 9am.  

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!      

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!   

God bless!      

Fr. Ed