PARISH EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS for the week of 15 March 2026
Lenten Observances
Fasting: Food equivalent to one regular meal, one small meal – Ash Wed/ Good Friday
Abstinence: No meat – ALL Fridays
Parish Soup Suppers: Fridays in Lent, 6pm
Stations of the Cross: Fridays, 7pm in English, 7:45pm in Spanish, in the church
Lent Confessions: Wednesdays, 6:30-8pm, Saturdays, 3:30-4:30pm (as usual). Please plan confessions early in the season to avoid running out of time.
Parish Penance Service: Tuesday, Mar. 24, 6:30pm
Our monthly Taizé Prayer Service is this Monday evening at 8pm. Please join us for a peaceful moment of simple song, silence and prayer for unity.
Please join us for our Parish Penance Service, Tuesday March 24th beginning at 6:30 PM. We will have 15 visiting priests. There will be limited opportunities leading up to Easter.
We have additional Wednesday evening confessions Wednesdays, Mar 18 and 25, from 6:30-8PM. Lenten Soup Suppers are Fridays at 6:00 PM followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 PM in English and 7:45 PM in Spanish.
Join us Saturday, March 21, 10am-2pm to help spruce up the church in preparation for Easter. Many hands make light work. Please visit the signup opportunities for opportunities https://signup.com/go/BnogGhO
Volunteers are needed to help serve meals and visit with those in our community that are homeless, March 22 through 26 at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Springfield. Food and monetary donations will be accepted. A signup has been created listing specific requests in today’s bulletin.
All women are invited to a Lenten Night of Reflection with a special talk given by Bea Frey. Saturday, March 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Saint Bernadette School Gym. Invite a friend to join us. Registration is not required but helpful at: https://forms.gle/QrkMVJmawkrPXLXCA.
There are two containers of river stones near the altar. Your Lenten assignment is to choose a person you know that has left the Church or is no longer practicing their faith. Invite them to come back and tell them the parish is praying for them. As a sign of your prayer, take a stone and place it near the altar. We will see the field of stones grow over the season of Lent, and will be reminded, all of us, to pray for these people during this powerful season.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
This Sunday marks the 4th Sunday of Lent, we're halfway through to Easter. This week we celebrate two feast days, St. Patrick's Day (March 17) and the Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19). Though St. Patrick's Day was a religious feast day in Ireland, Irish immigrants transformed it into a secular celebration and holiday in the United States. To teach your children about St. Patrick, focus more on the saint and shamrocks than leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Did you know that St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach the people of Ireland about the Holy Trinity. You can find other activity suggestions here:https://www.reallifeathome.com/5-ways-to-celebrate-st-patricks-day/.
The solemnity of St. Joseph occurs on March 19. It is one of the highest-ranking feast in the liturgical calendar. We honor St. Joseph's role as the spouse of the Virgin Mary and Jesus' foster father. He faithfully fulfilled the duties that was entrusted to him by God to protect and care for the Holy Family and his obedience in God's plan of salvation. St. Joseph, Pray for Us! You can find activities you can do with your children to celebrate the solemnity here: https://thekennedyadventures.com/celebrate-saint-joseph/
Join us next Sunday, March 22, following the 9am Mass for our Sunday Donut Social! Parents, come enjoy coffee and fellowship while your children make liturgical themed crafts with our volunteers!
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ We are still in need for volunteers (assistant catechists, teen catechists, and hall monitors). If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website http://stbernpar.org/religious-education-volunteers/.
Upcoming Religious Education Activities
Regular classes: Mar. 17-18, 24-25
SPRED Class: Mar. 21
Sunday Donut Social: Mar. 22
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org.
Tuesday, March 17 are our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Our next monthly meeting will be a Tea Party on Sunday, March 15 at 3pm in the Bradican Rm. Sign up for this special event is required. Go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0F45A4AB2DA1FB6-62466730-its#/ to reserve your seat or to volunteer to bring goodies. Bring your favorite tea cup and the story that goes with it.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Youth Ministry
All high schoolers are invited to attend our Thursday night small group sessions. Guys’ Small Groups will be on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. Girls’ Small Groups will be on 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7pm in the Youth Room. For any questions, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
All 9th-12th graders are invited to join us for a live CLUE night on Saturday, April 11 from 6-8:30pm in the Bradican Room! Just like the board game, visit different rooms, talk to other players, and collect clues. Bring your magnifying glass and notepads! Dinner will be included.
Volunteers for High School Program - We are looking for adults who share a deep passion for their Faith and want to help disciple high school teens. All adult volunteers must be VIRTUS
certified and undergo a background check. If you are interested, contact JP McLaughlin at jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org.
Workcamp - Adult Volunteers Needed! All adults of the parish are invited to consider volunteering for Workcamp. We can find a role for anyone willing to help. We are especially in need of female crew leaders to serve alongside our teens during the week of Workcamp. No construction skills needed; must be 25 or older. Please contact our parish Stakeholder, Matthew Frey, for more information. matthew_c_frey@yahoo.com.
Middle School Youth Ministry - next gathering March 18
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm.
YOUNG ADULTS Group
All Young Adults are invited to once-a-month Sunday night discussions and debates on key topics and mysteries about the Faith. Our next Faith Discussion will be on Sunday, April 19, 6-8pm in the Bradican Rm. For any inquiries, contact JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org for any inquiries.
Looking to join the Saint Bernadette’s Young Adults? Scan the QR code to join the Saint Bernadette Young Adults Group Chat.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
or JP McLaughlin jpmclaughlin@stbernpar.org,