This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, referring to the Gospel passage where Our Lord describes this faithful guardian who “walks ahead of them.” The sheep hear his voice and follow out of trust in his care for them. Christ is the promised Good Shepherd. In keeping with this theme, we recite Psalm 23, “The Lord is My Shepherd.” In the readings, St. Peter exhorts the crowd to repent and be baptized, and in his letter, reminds his readers of Christ’s suffering, and how like, sheep we went astray, and must return to the fold.

Starting Monday, April 24 through May 12, the parish office will be open on these days at these hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Regular hours resume Monday, May 15.

Thank you to all who contributed to this campaign. GSCS is grateful for these funds. Here is the breakdown of the three church sums: St. John - $555.58; St. Elizabeth - $239.66: Queen of Peace - $234.29. Thank you for this Lenten generosity.

The Second Sunday of Easter also is Divine Mercy Sunday. This devotion was revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ to Polish Mercy Sister Faustina Kowalska, now a saint, in visitations during the 1930s. Here are the words of Jesus to Saint Faustina: “My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” We recall the familiar Divine Mercy image of Jesus with white and red rays representing blood and water radiating from His sacred heart. Divine Mercy Sunday began with a Congregation of Divine Worship decree in 2000 with the first observance in 2001. Saint Pope John Paul II celebrated the first Divine Mercy Sunday, and died on the feast day eve in 2005. We are encouraged to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet to mark the feast, especially at the hour of mercy, 3:00 p.m.

Mass times: Queen of Peace - 8:00 AM; St. Elizabeth - 9:35 AM; St. John - 11:30 AM. Please come and rejoice! On this Easter morning, we hear only words of joy at Christ’s resurrection. From the shame and grief of denying his Savior three times, our first reading finds St. Peter proclaiming the rising of Our Lord. “This man God raised on the third day.” In response to Psalm 118, we sing, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!” The Psalm declares, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Our Gospel from St. John describes the miraculous scene early Sunday morning: “the cloth that had covered His head rolled up, … in a separate place.” Now we look forward to weeks of celebration during the fifty-day Easter season, which ends at Pentecost.

The Octave of Easter spans eight days starting on Easter Sunday and ending the Second Sunday of Easter, which is also Divine Mercy Sunday. Every day of the Octave is a Solemnity, the Church’s highest feast day. We light the tall, white, decorated Pascal candle. We sing the Gloria, hear a special Easter Alleluia verse, and may recite the Easter Sequence before the Gospel. The priest uses an Easter preface. We also repeat “Alleluia” after we say the final “Thanks be to God” at the end of Mass. The priest’s vestments are white or gold, for both the Octave and the Easter season.

Tues: 6-7 PM Queen of Peace, Wed: 5-6 PM St Elizabeth, Fri: 12-1 PM St John, Sat: 3-4 PM St. John

April 6 - Holy Thursday Mass - 7:00 PM - St. John. April 7 - Good Friday Service - 3:00 PM - St. John. April 8 - Easter Vigil Mass - 8:00 PM - St. John. April 9 - Easter Sunday - regular Sunday Mass schedule - 8:00 AM - Queen of Peace; 9:35 AM - St. Elizabeth; 11:30 AM - St. John.

Stations will be at 7:00 PM at all three parish churches.

The following guidelines help Catholics observe this special season of prayer, penance and works of charity. · Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in particular, are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. · The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals, “sufficient to maintain strength”, are allowed, but together should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting obliges all Catholics from 18 to 59. · Abstinence refers to the eating of meat. The common estimation of the community is used to determine what falls under the category of meat. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years or older. · The substantial observance of the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious obligation. · Self-imposed fasting on the other weekdays of Lent is recommended. Abstinence on all Fridays of the year is also highly recommended.

Please place your envelope in the weekend collection basket, with the envelope clearly marked with your name and the names of those persons in whose memory you make the contribution. You also may bring or mail the donation to the parish office, or mail it to the office.

We'll gather Saturday, May 6 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at Queen of Peace for this free Easter program. Lunch will be served. Our topic is "Renewing Our Devotion to the Eucharist: Loving Jesus in the Sacrament of Love." Registration begins next week.

This day also is called Maundy Thursday, referring to the Latin word mandatum, commandment, quoted in the verse before the Gospel.

This Lent, Fr. Harlow is asking the parishioners of Corpus Christi Parish to donate loose change to Good Shepherd Catholic School. Beginning on February 22nd until April 9th, each church will have a container to put their donations into and they will be collected after Masses on Easter Sunday (April 9th). All the money will then be donated to Good Shepherd Catholic School as part of our Lenten discipline.

Today we mark Christ’s humble but triumphant entry into Jerusalem, riding a lowly donkey, as followers spread palm branches and garments to pave His way. We may walk in procession at the start of Mass, holding blessed palms and singing a hymn, our priest vested in red. Later in the Mass, we hear the Passion Gospel of Matthew, beginning with the apostle Judas offering to sell Jesus to the chief priests. Quickly we are with Our Lord instructing other apostles to find the room where they will share the Last Supper. Then we are at table, watching Jesus institute the Eucharist. The rest of the familiar drama unfolds: the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’s treachery, Peter’s denial, and Our Lord’s Passion and death. We leave Him in the silent, dark tomb, with its seal and guard of soldiers. Now we will enter Holy Week, days of hush, waiting, preparing, hoping, as the great Easter feast approaches.