Holy Hour

Join us in the adoration chapel at Resurrection Church (1600 11th Ave SE) each Tuesday evening for praise & worship, reflection, and prayer as we meditate before the Body & Blood of our Lord. Also following the GRAYCE Holy Hour, the group stays around to socialize or goes out to a restaurant or someone's home. You are welcome to join us anytime for prayer and fellowship!

Dorothy Day House

703 1st St SW

The Dorothy Day Hospitality House is a shelter for people who are homeless in Rochester. The shelter is part of the Catholic Worker movement started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the 1930s. Catholic Worker communities are committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken.
We are scheduled every second Thursday of the month. Please contact Jason at 358-2768 if you are interested.

Band Concert

Music buffs, come join us for a free concert!
Rochester Community Band Concert
Saturday Feb 27th, 2010 at 7pm
University Center Rochester--Hill Theatre
Free admission
Contact info@grayce by Wed Feb 24th, if you are interested in attending. Then we will figure out when/where to meet before the concert.

Sports Night

Tentative plans: game night or bowling.

Dorothy Day House

703 1st St SW

The Dorothy Day Hospitality House is a shelter for people who are homeless in Rochester. The shelter is part of the Catholic Worker movement started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the 1930s. Catholic Worker communities are committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken.
We are scheduled every second Thursday of the month. Please contact Jason at 358-2768 if you are interested.

Habitat for Humanity

GRAYCE volunteers once a month to help build houses under the direction of the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. No experience with any power tools or carpentry work required. Stay for as long as you want—lunches are donated by local restaurants. Contact rae@grayce.org for details for how to get involved.

Sports Night: Ice Skating!

Let's have fun at the Rec Center during their open skate (North Rink). Cost: $4/adult for the session, and if you need to rent a pair of ice skates, that's $2 more. The Recreation Center is located at 21 Elton Hills Drive, Rochester, MN. Depending on interest level, we may go out afterwards. Contact Jenny at 261-9856 for details or questions.

Theology on Tap: All Things Franciscan

Meet young adults (ages 21-35) on the next Theology on Tap hosted by Ramona Miller who will be presenting "All Things Franciscan"
Join us on Sunday, January 31st at 6:30PM @ Whistle Binkies on the Lake address: 247 Woodlake Dr SE.

If you have any questions, please email jossie.mcmanus@gmail.com

Lighthouse Meeting

We will meet Sunday, January 10th @ 4 p.m. at St. John's Church in the Chapel for our next session of Lighthouse. Our meetings last about an hour, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet before the Blessed Sacrament. We will continue praying and reflecting on God's gifts together.

Please continue to keep one another in prayer.

Mary, Mother of God

The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God commemorates the divine motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the God-Bearer, Mother of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on January 1st, one week after Christmas. It is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics, so here are the mass times in Rochester taken from the church's websites:

Holy Spirit: 10am
Pax Christi: VIGIL 5:15pm Dec. 31st; 9am
Resurrection: 8:30am
St. Francis: 9am
St. John's: 9:30am (no 12:10pm mass that day!)
St. Pius X: 10am

Mission Trip 2010

Are you interested in a mission trip June 13th-19th, 2010 to the Piarist School in Martin, KY? There is space to go with the Resurrection group headed by Fr. Tom Loomis. Projects are varied, but be prepared to put in a full day's work (i.e. building a wheel chair ramp, fixing windows, various home repairs). Cost is $100/person plus food and transportation. Must be 12 or older, so I think we all qualify . . . . For planning purposes, a FIRM commitment is needed by January 15th to rae@grayce.org, or 507-421-1974. For details, questions, or even a note to say that you are interested but not sure yet, please contact Rae by the above methods.

Bell Ringing and Caroling

Spread the Christmas cheer! GRAYCE will take a 2-hr shift INSIDE Shopko North (Pharmacy doors) to ring the bell for the Salvation Army kettle on Saturday, December 5th. We will also carol, so bring instruments, a friend, and a great outfit. After our shift (10am-12n), we can go out to eat together!

Please email rae@grayce.org or talk to Rae so she knows how many pieces of music to bring. Also, if you are bringing an instrument, perhaps you'd like chords?

Shopko North is located at 3708 Hwy. 63 N., Rochester MN.

Game Night

Game night at the "ROCK" at Pax Christi. Bring a game and snack to pass. Questions, email rae@grayce.org no later than 3pm the night of.

Theology on Tap: Health Insurance Reform

Meet young adults at the next Theology on Tap

Dr. Sidna Scheitel, M.D. PCIM from the Mayo Clinic will be speaking on the health insurance reform issues that our nation is facing. This will be a great opportunity for us to separate the facts from the fiction on these issues. So feel free to come and listen, as well as to ask questions about these important issues.



Join us on Sunday, November 22nd at 6:00PM @ Whistle Binkies on the Lake
247 Woodlake Dr SE
Rochester, MN 55904
(507) 424-1227

If you have any questions, email jwkremp@yahoo.com

Habitat for Humanity

GRAYCE volunteers once a month to help build houses under the direction of the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity. No experience with any power tools or carpentry work required. Stay for as long as you want—lunches are donated by local restaurants. Contact rae@grayce.org for details for how to get involved.

Solemn Vespers for All Hallow's Eve

Come join GRAYCER's at St. Bridget's for an evening Solemn Vespers service in the graveyard, processing into the church by candlelight. Afterwards, season-appropriate treats will be available in the rectory basement. If you are able to help out, please email info@grayce.org, or speak to Rae, Jen, or Stacy at Adoration.

Address: 2123 County Rd. 16 SE Rochester MN 55904.

Directions from Rochester:

1) Take Hwy 63 (Broadway) south to Exit 48th St. S / Cnty 20 (the exit to Fleet Farm).
2) Turn left at exit; go through traffic light intersection with Maine Ave SE; at stop sign, turn right onto Cnty 20/ St. Bridget Rd SE.
3) After two miles, the road curves left, and Cnty 16 joins up with Cnty 20/ St. Bridget Rd SE.
4) Almost one mile later (you're still on St. Bridget Rd SE), the road curves right, and then a quick left, where there is suddenly a junction, and Cnty 20 turns southward from St. Bridget Rd SE. At this junction there is a gravel road to the left which is St. Bridget's driveway.

If you miss the turn onto the gravel road, the very next left is a sign for "St. Bridget's Church," and the paved driveway goes between the rectory (the Church is behind it) and the cemetery.

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial

The feast of the Holy Rosary was established by Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto, October 7, 1571. The victory was attributed to the help of the holy Mother of God whose aid was invoked through praying the Rosary. The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God. From the Christian Prayer(Liturgy of the Hours).

The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Five Joyful Mysteries
Said on Monday and Saturday
1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation
5. The Finding in the Temple

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries
Said on Tuesday and Friday
1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning of Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Five Glorious Mysteries
Said on Wednesday and Sunday
1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption
5. The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin

The Five Mysteries of Light
Said on Thursday
1. Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
2. His self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana,
3. His proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion.
4. His transfiguration,
5. His institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal mystery.

"The Rosary clearly belongs to the kind of veneration of the Mother of God described by the Second Vatican Council: a devotion directed to the Christological center of the Christian faith, in such a way that when the Mother is honored, the Son...is duly known, loved and glorified." JPII October 2002

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hence, the august Mother of God, mysteriously united from all eternity with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a virgin inviolate in her divine motherhood, the whole-hearted companion of the divine Redeemer who won complete victory over sin and its consequences, gained at last the supreme crown of her privileges - to be preserved immune from the corruption of the tomb, and, like her Son, when death had been conquered, to be carried up body and soul to the exalted glory of heaven, there to sit in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the ages. - Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus (Most Generous God)

Canoeing Fun

GRAYCE is gathering a group to go canoeing on Saturday, June 13th! Whether you've never paddled a canoe in your life or you desire to get out and perfect your J-Stroke, you're bound to have a great time!

Place to Meet: Church of the Resurrection parking lot for carpooling.
Time: 9AM sharp until evening
Price: about $23 per person (if we have an even number, otherwise someone goes in kayak for $40)
RSVP date: Monday June 8 to Katherine at katiesuebk@gmail.com. We will do something for lunch too!

Please contact info@grayce.org if finances will be difficult. Inquiries are kept confidential.

RESPECT LIFE

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched an e-mail campaign urging Congress to maintain widely-supported pro-life policies and to oppose the federal funding and promotion of abortion. The e-mail campaign augments the massive national postcard campaign launched in dioceses throughout the country in January.

Recent polls show that Americans strongly support laws limiting or regulating abortion, including laws honoring parental involvement in a minor daughter’s abortion decision, laws upholding the conscience rights of health care professionals and institutions, limits on abortion funding, and bans on partial-birth abortion. To guard against the erosion of current pro-life measures—and to keep abortion from becoming a federal entitlement—your voice is needed now more than ever.

Please go to www.usccb.org/postcard and click on "E-mail Congress Now" and let your voice be heard.

Our Mission Trip to Camden

This past June, seven volunteers from GRAYCE journeyed to Camden, New Jersey to assist in a variety of ways in one of the materially poorest communities in the nation. After Holy Hour, in room "C" (across from the Great Hall), four of the volunteers will talk about some of their experiences from the trip and share some reflections on what they learned. Snacks will be provided. There will also be time at the end for questions.

"Do you want to know if your Christianity is genuine? Here is the touchstone: Whom do you get along with? Who are those who criticize you? who are those who do not accept you? Who are those who flatter you?" --Archbishop Oscar Romero

Lent is a time for feasting!

Article by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D

Some think Lent is a time for fasting. I see it as a time of feasting.

I come to this conclusion based on the story of the fig tree in Luke 13. Three years without bearing fruit. What could be the problem? The owner figures that it is simply a dud and wants to cut it down. The vinedresser, a little more in touch with nature, comes to a different conclusion. Maybe all that is needed to turn things around is a bit of fertilizer.

To read the rest of this article, go to the above link. Check out the rest of Marcellino D'Ambrosio's website at:
www.crossroadsinitiative.com
It rocks!

Almsgiving

By Mark Shea for Catholic Exchange

One of the traditional emphases during Lent is the duty of "almsgiving". The tradition of the Church here comes straight out of ancient Israel and the duty that was enjoined upon the Jews by God to care for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. In many ways, ancient Israel was commanded to take care of the weakest and least in their midst. For obedience to this command, great mercies and benefits were promised. For disobedience, some of the most strenuous and frightening curses are reserved. The sense that comes across very strongly throughout the Old Testament is that the most helpless are paradoxically the most favored and that God's special tenderness is theirs (and his special fury, ours, if we despise the weak).

To read the rest of this article, go to the above link.

Law vs. morality, Good and evil

At the present time it is widely accepted among lawyers that law is higher than morality – law is something which is shaped and developed, whereas morality is something inchoate and amorphous. This is not the case. The opposite is true: morality is higher than law! Law is our human attempt to embody in rules a part of that moral sphere which is above us. We try to understand this morality, bring it down to earth, and present it in the form of law. Sometimes we are more successful, sometimes less. Sometimes we have a mere caricature of morality, but morality is always higher than law. This view must never be abandoned. We must acknowledge it with our hearts and souls.

In the 20th Century it is almost a joke in the Western world to use words like "good" and "evil." They have become old-fashioned concepts, yet they are very real and genuine. These are concepts from a sphere which is above us. And instead of getting involved in base, petty, shortsighted political calculations and games we must recognize that a concentration of evil and tremendous force of hatred is spreading throughout the world. We must stand up against it and not hasten to give, give, give, everything that is wants to swallow.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Warning to the West
1975

September 11, 2006

From the Magnificat-

God of mercy and compassion, you see into those places in the heart that are carved out by pain and grief, those places that are darkened by hatred and destruction, those places that are deepened by compassion and love.

Pour forth into all hearts the healing presence of your Holy Spirit, that we may love more deeply and more faithfully, so that the world will be spared the horror of which we are all capable when we turn away from love.

We ask in the name of him in whom all suffering humanity finds peace at the last, Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Amen.

Happy Birthday Mary!

Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God,
heralded joy to all the world.
For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

Destroying the curse, He gave blessing;
and damning death, He bestowed on us
life everlasting.

Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice,
Christ our God.

Meditation by our Papa Benedict

The Talents Are the Truth Who is Jesus

Jeremiah had said: "The word of the Lord had become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, 'I will not mention him, or speak anymore in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire" (Jer 20:8-9.)

It seems to me that we must ultimately understand the parable of the fearful servant also from this perspective; he hid his master's money because he was afraid that he might not be able to give it all back, instead of investing the money, like the other servants, so that it would increase.

The "talent" that is given to us, the treasure of the truth, must not be hidden; it must be spent boldly and courageously, so that it will take effect and (to change the metaphor) permeate and renew humanity as leaven.

Today we in the West are busy burying the treasure - out of cowardice when faced with the challenge of investing it in this tumultuous period of history, and perhaps thereby losing something (which is sheer lack of faith), and also out of laziness. We bury it, because we ourselves do not want to be illuminated by it, either - because we would like to lead our own lives, untroubled by the burden of this responsibility.

But the gift of the knowledge of God, the gift of his love, which looks upon us in the wounded heart of Jesus, should urge us on, so that all the ends of the earth might see the saving power of God (Is 52:10; Ps 98:3).