Bulletin 151

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

May 5th, 2013 Fifth Sunday after Easter—NO LATIN MASS (Parish First Communion)

Mass Schedule May 6th through May 10th

Monday, May 6—Feria of Paschaltide—NO LATIN MASS
Tuesday, May 7—Saint Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr
Wednesday, May 8—Vigil of the Ascension
Thursday, May 9—Ascension of the Lord
Friday, May 10—Saint Antoninus—NO LATIN MASS
Sunday, May 12—Sunday after the Ascension—Fr. Bill Hodgson
Monday, May 13th through Monday, May 20th—NO LATIN MASS

There will be NO MASS in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, May 5th due to the Parish First Holy Communion Mass.

Father Bill Hodgson will offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, May 12th at 2:30pm at Saint Agnes Cathedral.

There will be NO MASS in the Extraordinary Form on Sunday, May 19th.

Father Fasching will be on vacation from Thursday, May 9th through Monday, May 20th.

Bulletin 149

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

April 21st, 2013 Third Sunday after Easter

Epistle: 1 Pet. 2: 11-19
Gospel: Jn. 16: 16-22

Mass schedule April 22nd through April 26th

Monday: SS. Soter & Caius, Popes & Martyrs—No Latin Mass
Tuesday: Feria of Paschaltide
Wednesday: St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Martyr
Thursday: St. Mark, Evangelist
Friday: SS. Cletus & Marcellinus, Popes & Martyrs

All are invited to the pot-luck dinner Sunday, April 21st immediately following the 2:30pm Mass in the school cafeteria.

Jesus Christ has commanded us to take up our Crosses and follow Him if we wish to gain eternal life. He clearly taught that His followers would undergo sufferings and persecutions in this life, but they would have their reward in heaven if they remained faithful. The rest of the world will make merry and rejoice, while the Christian will suffer persecutions. Catholic Doctrine has always taught that the only way to share in the glory of the Resurrection is through the Cross. All the saints were familiar with suffering. In fact, they became extremely anxious when they were not made to suffer because they felt like Christ had abandoned them! “Take up thy Cross and follow me,” says Jesus Christ. You must either suffer in this life or give up the hope of seeing God in heaven!

In Christ,

Fr. Jeff Fasching

Bulletin 147

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

April 7th, 2013 Low Sunday (Octave of Easter)

Epistle: 1 Jn. 5: 4-10
Gospel: Jn. 20: 19-31

Mass schedule April 8th through April 12th

Monday: Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary—No Latin Mass
Tuesday: Feria of Paschaltide
Wednesday: Feria of Paschaltide
Thursday: Saint Leo the Great; Pope, Confessor & Doctor
Friday: Feria of Paschaltide

April 7th, 2013 is called Divine Mercy Sunday. A plenary indulgence is granted to those who take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g., “Merciful Jesus, I trust in You!”).

Immediately following Mass today the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be sung before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed followed by benediction. Christ institutes the Sacrament of Penance in today’s Gospel. Let us seek His Divine Mercy with trust and humility as we confess our sins.

The next pot-luck dinner will be held on Sunday, April 21st immediately following the 2:30pm Mass in the school cafeteria.

In Christ,

Father Jeffery Fasching

Bulletin 146

SAINT AGNES CATHEDRAL 533 South Jefferson Springfield, MO 65806

EXTRAORDINARY FORM OF THE MASS (LATIN)

CELEBRANT: Father Jeffery Fasching

March 31st, 2013 Easter Sunday

Epistle: I Cor. 5: 7-8
Gospel: Mk. 16: 1-7

Mass schedule April 1st through April 5th

Easter Monday No Latin Mass
Easter Tuesday
Easter Wednesday
Easter Thursday
Easter Friday

On Easter Sunday the Mass highlights the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! The Mass also alludes to the spiritual resurrection experienced by all those who have been baptized. We recall Christ’s death on the Cross through which He triumphed over sin and Satan, but today we joyfully emphasize how Christ rises from the grave to the dismay of His enemies!

In the office of the Church we proclaim: “This is the day which the Lord had made; let us celebrate it with transports of joy.”

The Body of Christ which previously had been scourged, beaten and nailed to the Cross comes forth from the tomb in resplendent fashion! The Victim once slain by the cruelty of man now shows in a glorious way His triumph over death. The Resurrection is the most concrete proof of Christ’s Divinity. Our belief in the Resurrection is the foundation of our faith. Saint Augustine once wrote that the Resurrection of Christ is God’s supreme and wholly marvelous work! Saint Paul writes: “If Christ be not risen again your faith is in vain.” (I Cor. 15) Furthermore, “God hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He hath raised us up together with Christ and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places.”


In Christ,

Father Jeff Fasching

Divine Mercy

“He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me” (Lk 10:16). The Apostles are ambassadors of Christ just as Christ is the ambassador of the Father. The bishops are successors of the Apostles. Christ commands that the teaching of the Apostles should be religiously accepted and kept as if it were His very own. Vatican II, in its document Presbyterorum ordinis, states that “The function of the bishop’s ministry was handed over in a subordinate degree to priests so that they might be appointed in the order of the priesthood and be co-workers of the episcopal order for the proper fulfillment of the apostolic mission that had been entrusted to it by Christ.”

One key part of this mission is to continue to encourage Penance for the forgiveness of sins. The Church has always understood that Jesus Christ Himself conferred upon the Apostles authority to forgive sins. This power is exercised is the sacrament of Penance.

The sacrament of Penance is the most sublime expression of God’s love and mercy towards men. Christ waits for us and invites us to repentance. The Popes have always encouraged regular use of the sacrament of Penance. It is a means to grow in knowledge of ourselves and in Christian humility. Through confession we root out our vices and maintain spiritual fervor. Let us implore the mercy of God on ourselves and upon all mankind.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Easter Joy

Christ's death on the Cross has brought spiritual health to mankind. Death entered the world through Adam's sin, but we have been given life once again through Jesus Christ. We are saved through the passion of Christ.

The highlight of the entire church year reminds us that God's grace from heaven is bestowed upon men of earth. God gives us the sacraments as our spiritual nourishment. We must receive them fervently and devoutly.

It was absolutely necessary that Christ should suffer. Saint Paul reminds us that "the author of life Himself was made perfect through suffering." Christ's glorification is His death on the Cross.

Now Christ is risen and will never die again! This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Easter Sunday

The Catholic Church has designated Sunday as the day especially consecrated to the Lord. It is meant to be a day of rest on which we are commanded to attend Holy Mass. “Dies Domini” means the Lord’s Day. Jesus Christ was crucified, but now we rejoice in His glorious victory of the resurrection! The resurrection is the central mystery of our faith. Saint Paul says “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1Cor 15:14). The Resurrection means that Jesus Christ has overcome death, sin, pain and the power of hell.

St. Pius X writes the following: “…just as Jesus Christ through His resurrection began a new immortal and heavenly life, so we must begin a new life according to the Spirit, once and for all renouncing sin and everything that leads to sin, loving God and everything that leads to God.”

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Comforter

"I will send you another comforter," another deliverer, "the Holy Ghost," says Jesus Christ. This Holy Spirit will not only rule over the holy Church founded by Him, but He will enter into every soul and enlighten and guide them in the way of salvation; in Him we shall live, walk, and work for heaven. However, not all men who have received the Holy Ghost cooperate with Him for heaven.

We have received the Holy Ghost both in Baptism and Confirmation. We have received the Spirit of truth who guides us into all truth. We must cooperate with the promptings of His grace in order to live up to our calling as sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. We must "stir" up the Holy Ghost who comes to us whenever we sincerely open up our hearts to Him. How often we forget that our Creator God dwells in our very souls! How often we grieve Him by our sins!

Pentecost is upon us! Veni Sancte Spiritus! Let us beg the Holy Ghost to purify our hearts and make us worthy temples of the Holy Spirit!

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Ascension of our Lord

Today our focus is on our Savior who went back into heaven and assumed His place at the right hand of His Father. We know that Christ never actually left His glory in heaven when He took upon Himself our human nature. After He suffered, died and was buried He rose from the dead. We firmly believe that He was seen for forty days by many eyewitnesses. When He ascended back into heaven His apostles were sad. However, they were also consoled at the words of Christ. He told His apostles He had to go so that they would be able to receive the Advocate. It was only after Christ sent His Holy Spirit upon His apostles that they were able to proclaim the Gospel with boldness, confidence and authoriy.

During the Easter season we must remember we are a people of joy. Our joy comes from the privilege of possessing the very same Holy Spirit by virtue of our baptism and confirmation. We thus share the same mission Christ entrusted His apostles with. Our very lives must be focused on proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. As we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord, we beg God for the grace of a firm faith and lively courage to follow in the footsteps of His apostles.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Risen Christ

Our risen Lord before His resurrection established His Church. He set it up in a hierarchical fashion in order to govern all the faithful in His name until the end of time. Christ taught His disciples His divine word. He instructed them in the eternal truths which in turn have been revealed to mankind. The word of God is equivalent to revelation. Revelation and grace are among our most precious gifts.

God has revealed His word to man since the beginning of the world. He spoke to us through the prophets. In the fullness of time God sent to us His Only Begotten Son. There will be no further revelation. God has led us into the fullness of the truth found in His holy Catholic Church. We must embrace this truth with our whole hearts and thus strive to please our God.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Christ's Death and Resurrection has saved us

Even though we had disobeyed God and sinned God did not abandon us. God our Savior chose to raise us up again by becoming one of us. Christ came in the flesh, He taught us the Gospel way of life, He suffered and died on the Cross, was buried and rose from the dead.

If we want to be holy we must therefore pattern our lives after the example of Christ. We must be patient, gentle and humble of heart. We must also imitate Christ in His death. We do this by being buried with him in baptism. We must die to our old life of sin completely. Baptism cleanses the soul from worldly thoughts and inclinations to sin. Baptism is a symbol for the death and resurrection of Christ.

This Easter season let us renew our baptismal promises with sincerity. Let us truly die to our sins and live for Christ alone.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Easter Joy

As we enter the Easter season we must truly be thankful for the gift of Christ our Savior and the victory He has won over sin and Satan. The resurrected Christ is God's supreme and wholly marvelous work as Saint Augustine says. What a great gift God gives us to have a firm faith in the resurrection! Because of the resurrection we are assured of our own victory over sin and Satan as well. We have the ability to always resist temptation if we so choose because Christ offers the grace to do so. The decision is ours.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching