In this issue: Adult Formation-How to Pray Like Mary, May Crowning, Notes to Mary, Mothers Day Novena, Jubilarian Mass, Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mass and Confession Schedule, Care for Creation...
Adult Formation
Meetings are currently held via Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87494545896
Meeting ID: 874 9454 5896
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GOSPEL SHARING
Thursdays 10am-11am Gospel Sharing
(Reflecting on upcoming Sunday Gospel)
HOW TO PRAY LIKE MARY
Wednesdays starting on May 5!
by Sonja Corbitt
Meetings will be held on Wednesdays, May 5, 12, 19, 26 and June 2 & 9 from 7:00pm-8:00pm. Email Michelle Ilagan at ilagan@hcrosschurch.org to register.
The Rosary on Fridays has been suspended. We encourage parishioners to continue this personal devotion at home or after the 8:30am Mass in church.
May is the month of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
MAY CROWNING
May 9
Immediately following the 9:30 am Mass
In the Mary Garden (between Church and School)
Bring the children!
Bring a flower from home to Our Lady
THANKSGIVING NOTES
TO
OUR BLESSED MOTHER
During the month of May please join us in offering prayer intentions or thanksgiving notes to our Blessed Mother. Following each Mass, parishioners will be invited to write down their prayer intentions and offer them to Our Lady along with notes of thanksgiving for her motherly love and intercession. The notes will be placed in a sealed box which will remain on our Blessed Mother’s altar in the church throughout the month of May. As children of Mary, let us approach Our Lady’s mantle of mercy and tenderness in unity as we offer her our hopes, our sorrows and our joy.
MOTHER’S DAY NOVENA
MOTHER’S DAY NOVENA begins this weekend. It’s not too late to join in! Daily Mass will be offered for 9 days to remember those whose names are listed on the Mass Remembrance envelopes which will be placed on the altar during the Novena. All names received will be included by intention with all nine Masses. To participate, pick up a Mother’s Day envelope as you leave church. Write the names of those you wish to be remembered on the envelope or a separate sheet of paper and put it in the envelope, along with your offering. Drop the envelope in the collection basket, Poor Box, or drop it off at the rectory. If you have any questions, please contact the Rectory at parishsecretary@hcrosschurch.org.
Celebrating Special Wedding Anniversaries: 2021 Jubilarian Mass
Are you celebrating a special wedding anniversary? Each year the Archdiocese of Washington honors couples married 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70+ years at the annual Jubilarian Mass. This year’s Mass will be held Sunday, June 27 at 3:00 pm at the Cathedral of St. Matthew. The Mass will be live-streamed. To receive a signed Jubilarian anniversary certificate, please contact the parish office (301-942-1020) or email parishsecretary@hcrosschurch.org before May 14.
CURRENT MASS AND CONFESSION SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil Mass - 5:00 pm in Church
Sunday Outdoor Mass - 9:30 am (rain or shine)*
New! Sunday Mass – 12 Noon (live-streamed) in Church
Weekday Masses are offered Monday thru Saturday at 8:30 am in Church
On Saturdays, Confessions are heard from 9:00 to 10:00 am.
*Outdoor option for 9:30 am Mass on Sundays – Fr. Robert will celebrate this Mass on the steps of the Church if weather permits. If it does not, he will move inside. You may come inside (Covid restrictions continue). Alternatively, you may remain outside in your car with engine off. Speakers will broadcast Mass (weather permitting). You are welcome to bring your blankets and chairs and sit on the grass. Eucharistic Ministers will distribute Communion outdoors. Ushers will take up a collection. To make a contactless, one-time donation to Holy Cross, visit the parish website (www.hcrosschurch.org) and click on “One-Time Donation.” The link will take you to a Faith Direct option where you can use your credit card and you do not have to enroll.
Eucharistic Adoration at Holy Cross
Every Friday from 3 to 6 pm in the main Church.
Come spend some time with Our Lord!
Care for Creation and Environmental Stewardship
The lesson of "less is more" espoused by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si' (#222) is actualized in zero waste practices.
"Zero waste is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused.
The goal is for no trash to be sent to landfills, incinerators, or the ocean."
Jurisdictions in Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the United States (especially in California) have declared zero waste as a goal.
San Francisco has a planned structure to reach zero waste through three steps including prevent waste, reduce and reuse, and recycle and compost.
A main idea is product redesign to prevent waste in the first place.
Care for Creation and Environmental Stewardship
Tips to protect your family, home, pets, pollinators and environment: "Synthetic pesticides and herbicides cannot be used on lawns In Montgomery County." Only organic pesticides with specific labels can be used on lawns. For more information, go to: montgomerycountymd.gov/lawns
The County provides tips for mowing including:
#1 Adjust mower height so it never cuts grass shorter than about 3 to 4 inches;
#2 Never cut more than one-third of the grass at a time;
#3 Leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing;
#4 Control excess thatch with compost tea or aeration;
#5 Choose a green mower;
#6 Maintain your mower;
#7 Buy extra blades and keep them sharp.
For more information: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/lawns/homeowner/tips/mowing.html
"More disposable wipes being flushed down toilets are clogging pipes, jamming pumps, and sending raw sewage into homes and waterways." Discard wipes, paper masks, and latex gloves in the trash rather than in the toilet or along sidewalks and roadways. Source: "Trouble down the drain," The Washington Post, April 25, 2021, page C1.
SUSPICIOUS EMAILS: "(Disclaimer) The clergy and Holy Cross will never email individuals of the Parish asking for monetary favors. In the event you should receive any email requesting untraceable monetary items such as: bank cards, iTune Cards, bitcoin, etc. Please do not respond to those communications whether it is email or telephone. If you receive any communications from Holy Cross that are threatening or seem out of character with our Parish, please flag those emails as “junk” or SPAM and contact us."
Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs
The Archdiocese of Washington Office of Life Issues is providing the information below to respond to any questions you might have about the COVID-19 vaccine and Catholic moral teaching on this matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Life Issues at windelsk@adw.org if you would like more information or resources.
Rectory Office visits are by appointment only.
Phone calls are being monitored. Leave a voicemail at 301-942-1020 x200.
Emails are monitored at parishsecretary@hcrosschurch.org.
Please wear a mask when you come to an appointment at the Rectory.
WAYS TO SUPPORT HOLY CROSS
ONLINE - Make a donation by credit card via Faith Direct. Go to the parish website: www.hcrosschurch.org and click on One-Time Donation. You do not have to enroll in Faith Direct or, if you are enrolled in Faith Direct, you can elect to not sign in.
RECURRING - Visit www.faithdirect.net or call 866-507-8757 (toll-free) to enroll in our electronic giving program using your bank account or credit card (Holy Cross Code is MD22). Another way is to use your bank's bill pay.
DROP OFF your contribution in the mail slot in the Rectory office door
MAIL your offertory to Holy Cross Church, PO Box 249, Garrett Park, MD 20896