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St. Mary's is a community of believers dedicated to the living worship of God. As the only Catholic Church in Limestone County, our faith community reflects the ethnic diversity of the towns in which we live. We gather to fulfill our mission as disciples of Jesus Christ: we hear His Word, we celebrate the Sacraments and we witness His love to others. Our Christian witness consists of sharing our spiritual gifts with the grace of God and the example and prayers of our patron saint, the Immaculate Conception, among us and with others - striving to grow in Holiness.
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WISHING EVERYONE A FRUITFUL SEASON OF LENT
All the Christians over the world begin a spiritual journey of repentance that is marked by prayer, penance, alms giving and other forms of charitable works. We get ourselves very much engaged in this to participate more intimately in the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the preparation for the celebration of the Solemn Feast of his Resurrection at Easter. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the blessing and imposition of ashes.
The act of putting on ashes symbolizes our fragility and mortality as well as our need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. This is what is symbolized by the ashes we receive. “Remember that you are dust and unto dust, you shall return.” Ashes remind us of our own death; the fact that one day, we shall become dust, that we profit nothing if we gain the world and lose our souls. Lent begins with a call to "Be reconciled with God", 2 Cor5:20. What is most important is our relationship with God. Our personal knowledge of God's deep unshakable love for us would be strengthened and restored. Our invitation is to a life of repentance, conversion and to believe in the Gospel.
Lent is a time of spiritual cleansing and renewal, Ephe4:22-29, Rom12:1-2. The importance of this season is to prepares us for Easter, the Greatest Feast of the Liturgical Year. Dear friends, as the priest traces on our foreheads ashes with the symbol of the cross +. This indicates that we came from dust and unto dust shall we return. It expresses the emptiness of humanity and the need to seek for God's mercy and forgiveness. The Season of Lent calls on us to LOVE; give Alms, to Prayer like never before and, to Fast. Wishing all our Parishioners a fruitful and spirit filled with rewarding Season of Lent.
DESEANDO A TODOS UNA TEMPORADA DE CUARESMA FRUCTIFICA
Todos los cristianos del mundo comienzan un camino espiritual de arrepentimiento que está marcado por la oración, la penitencia, la limosna y otras formas de obras de caridad. Nos comprometemos mucho en esto para participar más íntimamente del sufrimiento de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, en la preparación de la celebración de la Fiesta Solemne de su Resurrección en la Pascua. El Miércoles de Ceniza marca el inicio de la Cuaresma, la bendición e imposición de la ceniza.
El acto de ponerse las cenizas simboliza nuestra fragilidad y mortalidad, así como nuestra necesidad de ser redimidos por la misericordia de Dios. Esto es lo que simbolizan las cenizas que recibimos. “Acuérdate que eres polvo y al polvo volverás”. Las cenizas nos recuerdan nuestra propia muerte; el hecho de que un día nos convertiremos en polvo, que de nada nos sirve si ganamos el mundo y perdemos nuestras almas. La Cuaresma comienza con un llamado a "Reconciliaos con Dios", 2 Cor 5,20. Lo más importante es nuestra relación con Dios. Nuestro conocimiento personal del profundo e inquebrantable amor de Dios por nosotros sería fortalecido y restaurado. Nuestra invitación es a una vida de arrepentimiento, de conversión ya creer en el Evangelio.
La Cuaresma es un tiempo de limpieza y renovación espiritual, Efe4:22-29, Rom12:1-2. La importancia de este tiempo es que nos prepara para la Pascua, la Fiesta Mayor del Año Litúrgico. Queridos amigos, como el sacerdote traza sobre nuestras frentes cenizas con el símbolo de la cruz +. Esto indica que venimos del polvo y al polvo volveremos. Expresa el vacío de la humanidad y la necesidad de buscar la misericordia y el perdón de Dios. El Tiempo de Cuaresma nos llama a AMAR; dar Limosna, a la Oración como nunca antes y, al Ayuno. Deseando a todos nuestros feligreses una temporada de Cuaresma fructífera y llena de espíritu gratificante.