Reasons To Rejoice!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter season and, especially today, Mercy Sunday.  So many wonderful things are happening about us because of God's work.  We received many adults and children into the Church via baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.  Fr. José was the presider and did a great job.  I felt blessed to be able to have such a competent Parochial Vicar who can just take over.  Congratulations to all our Neophytes (that's what the Church calls the newly baptized and confirmed)!

Also today is a special day for the Church Universal, for we will be witnessing the canonization of two amazing new saints: Sts. Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  I was not yet born when John XXIII was living, but I studied about him and his work in the Second Vatican Council when I was a seminarian.  What a loving and gracious man he was!  I am so very thankful for his openness to the Holy Spirit and his daring call for an Ecumenical Council.  Pope John Paul II is someone with whom I am much more familiar.  He has been the pope for most of my childhood and was a great inspiration to me in my journey to the priesthood.  This day, Mercy Sunday, was a special celebration for Pope John Paul II, and he was the one who called the Church to observe it as a special day for the whole Church.  Here's a link to the USCCB's website for more information about these canonizations.

On Tuesday, one of our own archdiocesan priests, Fr. Peter Smith will be ordained a bishop.  He was ordained a deacon at the same Mass where I was ordained a priest.  He is a member of the association of the People of Praise.  Our Archdiocese is large, and we have great need for an auxiliary bishop who can assist Archbishop Sample in the shepherding of our Church.  Congratulations to Bishop-elect Peter Smith!

In all, today we have many reasons to rejoice.  The greatest one is, of course, the reality that Jesus Christ is risen and has opened the gates of heaven for his faithful.  May this Good News be in your hearts and minds so that we can all rejoice together and spread the joy of this Gospel to all we know!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Blessed Easter!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter!  Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia! Alleluia!

All during the season of Lent we’ve been preparing ourselves for this time.  Now it is upon us.  But what does that mean?  You might ask, what significance is that for me?  Well, simply put, it means that there is an opportunity for heaven for you and for me.  It means that we can be forgiven of our sins.  It means that Jesus broke the barrier of death so that we can live forever.  It is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. It means that death is not the end.  It means that the Eucharist is more than just receiving Jesus, it is a foretaste of heaven. 

Easter means that we have many new Catholics in our midst.  On Easter Vigil Saturday, we baptized 9 people, submersing them in the waters of forgiveness.  Sixteen were further confirmed and given their first Holy Communion.  It was a joyous time.  This year’s class of new Catholics were a real inspiration to me and our whole team.  From day one, our RCIA team knew that this would be a special year.  As we gathered for our first class, it became obvious that we could not fit in the room.  There were simply too many people.  What a delightful problem.  So, we simply moved to a larger room for the year.  What transpired was amazing, mysterious, and joy-filled.  I want to especially thank Jessica Bubien, our Pastoral Associate, as this was her first year directing our RCIA.  I want to thank the many persons on her team. Without them, we couldn’t have offered our RCIA well.  Thank you all!

So now that Easter has arrived, I pray that you and your family will have a time of peace and joy.  The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.  These are God’s ways of showing us how much he loves us.  But even then, they pale in comparison to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead.  So, let them always remind you of this cost of true love.  

May you all have a blessed Easter!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Christ is Risen!

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter! I hope you and your family are together enjoying a wonderful day celebrating our Lord’s resurrection. As Catholic Christians, Easter is actually a season. Even more so, Easter is our point of reference for our entire life, for we believe that since Jesus died and rose again, we too, can overcome our deaths in our life and ultimately rise with him. Christ’s resurrection has opened the gates of heaven for those who believe.

Easter is also a time when we recognize that we can be forgiven for our sins. It is a time when we also recognize that we have sinned against other people and need to seek out forgiveness. As a church, we wish to express our heartfelt sorrow for any wrongdoing we may have done. As the pastor, I too, wish to ask for forgiveness if I have hurt you in any way. The Catholic Church is your home. It is here that you should be able to find healing through Christ.

If you’ve been away for some time, please consider returning back home to your family of faith. Each year at this time, we begin a process called “Welcome Home Catholics.” It’s a process, whereby people who have been away for awhile are reintroduced to the church, her sacraments, and most especially, can have answered any questions they have without criticism or judgment. We simply want to welcome you home for Easter.

So, may the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ bring you deep and everlasting joy!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

New Life

Dear Parishioners,

Easter Cleaning

After Easter Sunday, I took the rest of the week off to be with family. Before I left, I took the opportunity to do some spring cleaning. I highly recommend this as a another way to celebrate Easter.

Take a look around your house and ask yourself, what things have I either not worn, not read, or not used in the past year. Then proceed to gather those items up and either have a garage sale, gift them to someone who could use them, or give them to our local St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store. Believe me the feeling is wonderful. It is a way to remind us that Christ can take those old things, the baggage or sins in our lives, and transform or remove them altogether. Easter is a time to be reminded that because of Christ’s resurrection, we can be set free from the stuff that holds us down. We have the gift to live in the Spirit and let go. Try it. You won't regret it.

New Dog

Also while on vacation, I went to most every animal shelter from Medford to Portland in search of a new house companion. I had my list of requirements, and I found just the right one! He’s a three year old white poodle. He was in a Riverside County animal shelter prior to being moved to the Albany area where I found him. He was pretty disheveled having been neutered and then later attacked by a dog in the same shelter. He’s very calm, affectionate, and loves everyone. The one thing is that he has no name. At this writing, I’m calling him Benny (think Gentle Ben, St. Benedict, Bennie Beaver, and Pope Benedict). I’m open to all kinds of name ideas, so feel free tell me your ideas, or email me, or pass along a note through the office. In time, I will settle on a name. Thank you all for your prayers and support in this regard. It is nice to have a companion around the house again.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Easter Reconciles Us Anew

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Happy Easter! Christ is risen! At this time of the year, our Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This miracle of our faith has broken the bonds of death and our slavery to sin. It is also a time of renewal and forgiveness.

At Easter, we celebrate and welcome home those who have recently joined the Church through the Easter Vigil. They remind us all of the need to seek out Christ through his Church. Easter is also a time when we welcome visitors and friends we haven’t seen in a while whether just visiting family or just coming because it is Easter. Please know of my gratitude for your presence among us.

For many reasons people come and go in the Church. Sometimes that is due to past hurts or anger as a result of actions on the part of the Church. If you have been injured or hurt in any way by any member of our Church, I sincerely apologize and ask your forgiveness. Please let us try again. Having a new pastor and parochial vicar may afford you to start anew without your history haunting you. If anyone in our staff has spoken uncharitably or acted unkind, again, please accept my apology on their behalf. I believe we need to uphold the standard set by Jesus, that is to love God and our neighbor. I believe in the highest standard of care, and desire to heal hurts that I or anyone in our Church has cause due to failure of this standard.

If you have been away for many years, I would like to invite you to come and join our “Welcome Home Catholics” group. In this program, Catholics who have been away for many years have an opportunity to ask questions and learn about things that have changed. It is a way to help ease their transition. Contact Fr. Paschal Ezurike for more information about this wonderful process.

If you are not Catholic and are interested in becoming Catholic or would simply like to inquire about what we believe, we have a group of people that meet to learn about the faith. This is called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. We have analogous gathering for teens and children as well. Contact Terry Knouff for more information if you are an adult or have pre-teen children who are interested in joining. Contact Hans Mueller if you are a teen and want to learn about joining.

Easter is a time to recall that Christ rose from the dead. We, too, are people who desire to be transformed and forgiven as Jesus called us to be. May this Easter season be an opportunity to renew your faith and restore your walk with the Church. If I or any of our staff can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

May God bless you and give you joy in your heart.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

More Details Regarding Holy Week

Dear Parishioners,

Holy Week is almost upon us. Next Sunday, Parishioners will be invited to begin our Passion/Palm Sunday celebration with the blessing of palms outside the Church at the 9:30 AM Spanish Mass and in the Parish Center at the 11 AM Mass. All the other Masses will begin in the Church proper. This year, there will be two notable changes in our Triduum: The veneration of the cross and the baptisms.

Good Friday: After talking with our Liturgy Committee, I have come to understand that St. Anne’s has historically offered multiple crucifixes for venation on Good Friday service. However, the Church calls for only one cross to be used. It is an option to use a cross or crucifix. Since the theology of the veneration is directed towards the cross (recall the priests intones: “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the savior of the world...”) and the rite is called the “veneration of the cross,” we will be using one very large cross and not a crucifix. Since it will be almost life-sized, it will allow several people to approach the cross at once and offer their veneration at the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm of the cross. The size of the cross should aid in the timeliness of this part of the service. Examples of veneration include a bow, a kiss, a genuflection, or a simple touch of the hand according to the preference of the person. Families are encouraged to approach at one time instead of individually waiting for each person to venerate.

Easter Vigil: As mentioned in last week’s column, I described that we will be offering baptisms by immersion or submersion, that is either having water poured all over the person or actually dipping the person all the way under the water. If you have never seen this approach, you will be in for a special treat. I have done immersion/submersion baptisms ever since I was ordained almost ten years ago. For the truly inquisitive, I have posted a video describing how to make a temporary immersion pool and showing actual immersions on Easter Vigil. Go to http://www.frbill.org/frgeek.html to see it on your computer. The baptismal fount will be located between the front pews where there is plenty of space and will remain there for the entire Easter season. When you arrive to Church during the Easter season, you are encouraged to enter the Church, bless yourself from the large fount, and then go to your pew. Of course, the traditional holy water founts at the entrances of the Church will be available.

With the arrival of a new pastor comes some new approaches. It is a new day, and I hope that this Easter will be one of renewal and refreshment to all who come through our doors.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

A Week of Holiness

Dear Parishioners,

Now that we are well into Lent, internally for St. Anne’s, planning for Holy Week has already begun. Personally, I believe that Holy Week is that series of celebrations that every Catholic should experience each year. If you’ve never attended them, please consider making an effort this time around. Here’s a run down of all the activities.

Palm Sunday: Depending on the Mass, we will be start- ing in the Hall or outside and then process in with our palms to continue our celebration.

Chrism Mass (7 PM, March 29, Portland): This Mass is celebrated at the Cathedral with the Archbishop and almost all the priests serving in the Archdiocese. This is a wonderful time to experience the Church in a larger sense. The Holy Oils are blessed at the Mass and the priests renew their promises from their ordinations. The procession alone is something to behold.

THE TRIDUUM

Holy Thursday (7 PM): This commemorates the
Last Supper Christ had with his disciples. At this Mass we wash the feet of representative members of our parish and focus on the institution of the Eucharist. As such, I’ve ordered special hosts that have images embossed on them and I will be singing most of the Eucharistic Prayer. The oils from the Chrism Mass are pre- sented at the presentation of the gifts and placed in a suitable location. At the end of Mass, the community follows the priest in procession with the Eucharist to the Parish Center where a temporary Altar of Repose has been set up so that the faithful can pray before the Blessed Sacrament. People are welcome to leave when they want until adoration concludes at midnight.

Good Friday (7 PM): This celebration is very simple. It is not a Mass. It begins very solemnly. In addition,
the reading of the Passion narrative is proclaimed. Afterwards, the community comes forward to venerate the cross. Finally communion is distributed, and the service ends.

Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil—8:30 PM): This is the pinnacle of all our celebrations of the entire year. We begin outside with a blessing of a fire (we have a special fire for this year) and the blessing of the Paschal Candle. From there, the community processes in the dark- ened church with their own candles, lighting the church with their very presence. A solemn proclamation is sung called the Exultet. An extended series of readings are proclaimed describing salvation history. Then after a very short homily (and I mean short!), those who are to be baptized come forward. This year we will be offering the most dramatic form of baptism that we can: immersion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church(#1239) considers this to be the “most expressive way” to offer this Sacrament. If you’ve never seen this done, you don’t want to miss it! Next, those who have already been baptized in another faith tradition, pledge their faith in the Church. These people along with all those who have just been baptized receive the sacrament of Con- firmation. The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows with those who were just received into the Church going first. The whole night is full of wonder and joy.

I hope to see you at these celebrations. I am greatly looking forward to them. As with all our most important holy days, I will be doing my best to celebrate them bilingually as a sign and invitation to the major languages present in our community. I pray that your Lenten journey has been full of growth and conversion as well as peace and hope.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor