Holy Week Schedule

                     

It may be Spring Break but it is also a week that should be prayer filled, and St. Andrew's has many opportunities to enter in to these Holy Days. Pick at least one extra thing to do for Holy Week.  You won't regret it! Here is the Holy Week Schedule of Events at St. Andrew's: Wednesday, April 20  Regular Mass Schedule  “Born for This” - 1:30 pm  Confessions/Adoration - 6:30-8:00 pm  Holy Thursday, April 21  NO Morning Mass  Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper - 7:30 pm Good Friday, April 22  NO Morning Mass  "Born For This" - 12 noon  Confessions - 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm  Stations of the Cross - 3:00 pm  Passion of the Lord - 7:30 pm

Palm Sunday Movie Night!

Start your Spring Break/Holy week off right...come out to Youth Group and check out a movie about THE Man that this week is all about.

We will be watching Jesus of Nazareth on Sunday, May 17th from 7:00-8:30 (so we have time to finish) so that we can start of this Holy Week focused and ready to go!

Popcorn and water provided :) See you there!

All teens in grades 8-12 are welcome.

Taize (and Lenten Reconciliation Service)!

On Tuesday, April 12 (TOMORROW), the parish will host a Lenten Taize service followed by the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Taize is a community in France which welcomes pilgrims from all over the world (including a large number of high school and college students) and conducts a simple form of prayer consisting of scripture, song and silence. 

Several priests will be available for confessions following the prayer service. 

Don't miss out on an extraordinary way to enter into these last weeks of Lent! 

Final Stations and Soup!

 

 

 

This is your last chance!!! Don't miss it!! It is an amazing way to focus on the season...and we have a great time afterwards!


Just like last year we will be joining our parish family Friday for stations and enjoying some (meatless) soup afterward while just having fun playing games, watching a movie or whatever we think up! There may even be a quesadilla maker! :)

OUR LAST FRIDAY OF STATIONS AND SOUP IS THIS FRIDAY!!! 7-8:30pm
Bring your family to stations. Bring a friend to stations. Or, just come to stations!! We will gather in the Kominski room after Stations/Adoration for good soup and fun. Come for the whole time, come for a little while...I will be here until 8:30. 

All teens in grades 8-12 are welcome!

See you there!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (What does that even mean?!)

I am sitting at my desk, decked out in green.  I even have super cute green striped socks on. I am ready for St. Patrick's day. But why?

Ever wonder why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day?! More importantly, do you ever wonder how it became a day that encourages many to drink in excess and not think anything of it? I sure do. Every year I wonder how the world began celebrating alcohol instead of this great missionary Saint's life.

Today I decided I was going to blog about why we celebrate this day...the real reason. As I sat down to blog I found that a great friend of mine must have woken up with the exact same thought! Her blog about green beer, St. Patrick, and the Saints gets right to the point. SO, instead of me re-inventing the wheel, check out HER blog!

And for a little bit of education (and entertainment) about St. Patrick check out this video. It pretty much made my morning.

Ready...Sent...LENT!

So, we made it. It is Ash Wednesday. We have indulged. We have celebrated. We have decided (for the most part) what we are going give up/take on in order to enter more fully into this season. Party hats and all things celebratory are tucked away. Our "Gloria's" and "Alleluias" have been sung one last time.  We are here. 

It. Is. Lent.

Now what?

Did anybody else wake up today thinking that today should feel different? Like all of the talk of "giving up" and "sacrificing" left you with this pressure that on Ash Wednesday you should wake up and suddenly life should be lived differently? I certainly woke up today to the reality that I am very much the same as I was yesterday. Same exhaustion in the morning, same short comings, same everything. Today, though, I was very aware of those short comings. "ugh, bring on 40 days of being SUPER discouraged and very aware of my every fault" I thought. Then  I remembered, we are joining Christ on a JOURNEY here. This journey is not meant for 40 days of discouragement but 40 days of allowing Him to purify us, rid us of those things that keep us from returning to Him with our whole heart. (If you haven't read today's readings be sure to! They are amazing!)

 We are not expected to be perfect at our Lenten sacrifice first thing in the morning on Ash Wednesday. In fact, we should be allowing ourselves to give Him our imperfection in these things over the next 40 days and let Him change our hearts, minds, souls and actions. After all, isn't it supposed to be about His work IN us and not how amazing we are at successfully living out our sacrifices? Right. 

Still not sure what Lent is really all about? Need more specifics about what, why and how? Check out my friend Bob's blog for an amazing breakdown of what we do and why!

Still not sure what to give up/take-on? Our friends at CatholicYouthMinistry.com have put together a pretty sweet list of suggestions that can help get your thought process started!

One of the best ways to focus during Lent is to find ways to seek Christ more, and spend time with others who are doing the same. Be sure to check out our calendar (here on the blog!) for more information about Stations and Soup, Taize, Sunday Youth Group and other events we will have available here at St. Andrew's!!

Don't forget..."Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart..." 

That is what He wants from each of us this Lent. Our whole heart. Are you ready? 

Ready...Set...Lent...

Music Break

While catching up on my youth ministry blog reading today I came across this song and have not been able to stop listening since. A friend sent it to me weeks ago but the video was a little too out-there "artsy" (I know, I know I am super close minded at times) for me so I didn't really listen to it much. Today was a different story. The lyrics are amazing. The Truth spoken stirs hearts. His loves HAS overcome, and I am thankful to know Him and that Love first hand. 

Are you?!

David Crowder Band- SMS [Shine]

Send me a sign
A hint, O whisper
Fill me with life
'Cause I am listening

Come break the quiet
Breathe your awakening
Bring me the light
'Cause I am fading

Surround me with the rush of angels' wings


Shine Your light so I can see You
Pull me up, I need to be near You
Hold me, I need to feel loved
Can You overcome this heart that's overcome?


You sent a sign
The hint, O whisper
Human, divine
Everyone is listening

Death laid low
Quiet in the night is stirring

All around the rush of angels


O the wonder of the greatest love has come


Shine Your light so all can see it
Lifted up, 'cause the whole world needs it
Love has come, what joy to hear it
He has overcome, He has overcome