Lent 2024

"REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS EARTH, YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU NOTHING THAT HAVE RECEIVED, ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN"

- ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. 
https://www.portraitsofsaints.com/.../all-images-st...

Today’s Gospel Reading: The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve…In 2016, St. Mark drafted a mission statement that included the word serve. It is what we are called to do and one of the four pillars that guide as at the parish.

We are called to serve one another. The phrase “to serve” occurs in the Bible more than 50 times and below are more than 50 images that we have posted to Facebook that include the word serve.

In the left transept under a sculpted image of Mary is a small plaque that you may have never noticed. Take a look some time.  It is called the Universal Call to Holiness.

This Lent, take a moment to really read this part of it:
“The Angel with the Horn calls us to Holiness through Service. We are reminded that in our work, play, and all we do, we are to serve the Lord and one another. Our gifts are not for us to use for our personal gain but rather they are to be used in service to the Lord and our sisters and brothers in the world. We must continue to serve those who have less than us: the poor, the oppressed, the physically handicapped, and the unfortunate.”

As followers Christ, whatever rank or status, we are called to serve. During Lent, we call this almsgiving or charity. All that we have received is a gift from God. We must follow in His footsteps, devote our gifts for the glory of God and the service of one another.
 

Kindergarten and 1st Grade prayed a Living Rosary this morning
in the Ave Maria Courtyard. 
 

This past weekend, past Alpha participants gathered for a reunion! It was wonderful to reconnect with people whose faith stories have made an impression on us, or even impacted our own faith journey. We thank God for the fruit, and we pray for everyone participating now, and those who have yet to try Alpha! Come, Holy Spirit!
#stgabrielchurch
 

82 years ago, our school was just a 5 bedroom house with only 22 students~
#saintmichaelcatholicschool #the1942fund #catholiceducation #nccatholicschools

 

We had some special visitors come to SHCS for Presidents' Day this week! Look at all these presidents and presidents' wives who came to speak about who they are! They look great, and they spoke wonderfully! They even took the time to parade around to each class and share a fun fact about themselves.

Heavenly Father, I come before You as Your child, in great need of Your help. I have physical health needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and interpersonal needs. Many of my problems have been caused by my own failures, neglect and sinfulness, for which I humbly beg Your forgiveness, Lord. But I also ask You to forgive the sins of my ancestors whose failures have left their effects on me in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns and defects in body, mind and spirit. Heal me, Lord, of all these disorders.

With Your help I sincerely forgive everyone, especially living or dead members of my family tree, who have directly offended me, or my loved ones in any way, or those whose sins have resulted in our present sufferings and disorders. In the name of Your divine Son Jesus, and in the power of His Holy Spirit, I ask You, Father, to deliver me and my entire family tree from the influence of the evil one. Free all living and dead members of my family tree, including those in adoptive relationships, and those in extended family relationships, from every contaminating form of bondage; By Your loving concern for us, heavenly Father, and by the shed blood of your Precious Son Jesus, I beg You to extend Your blessing to me and all my living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative effects in future generations of my family tree.

I symbolically place the Cross of Jesus over the head of each person in my family tree, and between each generation; I ask You to let the cleansing blood of Jesus purify the blood lines in my family lineage. Set Your protective angels to encamp around us, and permit Archangel Raphael, the patron of healing, to administer Your divine healing power to all of us, even in areas of genetic disability. Give special power to our family members' guardian angels to heal, protect, guide and encourage each of us in all our needs. Let Your healing power be released at this very moment and let it continue as long as Your sovereignty permits.
 

In our family tree, Lord, replace all bondage with a holy bonding in family love. And let there be an even deeper bonding with You, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, to Your Son Jesus. Let the family of the Holy Trinity pervade our family with its tender, warm, loving presence, so that our family may recognize and manifest that love in all our relationships. All of our unknown needs we include with this petition that we pray in Jesus precious Name. Amen. ~ (Fr. John Hampsch).