St.
Mary Magdalene Parish
St. Catherine, Aledo • St. Anthony, Matherville
Rev. John Thieryoung, Pastor
106 NE 4th St. Aledo, IL 61231
(309) 582-7500 • [Link]
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT February 26, 2023
Monday 7:30 AM St. Catherine Leo Crummy by Sonja Jones
Tuesday 6:30 PM St. Catherine Dan Kistler by Judy Baker
7:00 PM St. Catherine STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Wednesday 7:30 AM St. Catherine Paul Lee by Roger & Carla Murphy
Thursday 6:30 PM St. Anthony Bud Brown by Pat Slavish
7:00 PM St. Anthony STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Friday 8:00 AM St. Anthony Fr. Richard Slavish by Edward & Carmella VanGetson
Saturday 7:00 AM St. Catherine HOLY HOUR
Saturday 4:00 PM St. Anthony William Cook
Saturday 5:30 PM St. Catherine Leo Toby by William & Brenda Toby
Sunday 8:00 AM St. Catherine Shirley Dellitt by Allen & Mary Pat Rush
Sunday 9:45 AM St. Anthony Parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene
TODAY’S OPENING PRAYER
Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in
understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.
Next Week’s Readings: Gn 12:1-4a / Ps 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22, / 2Tim 1:8b-10 / Mt 17:1-9
Weekly Collection $1,789
Parish office hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9am-12pm. Please leave a message at any other time.
Confessions: Saturday at St. Catherine from 7am to 7:50am and St. Anthony from 3:00pm to 3:50pm, and Sunday at St.
Catherine from 7:10am to 7:50am. (Also see the Lenten schedule below.)
LENTEN MASS AND CONFESSION SCHEDULE AND STATIONS OF THE CROSS: On Tuesdays Mass is at 6:30pm at St.
Catherine followed by Stations of the Cross at 7pm. Thursday Mass at St. Anthony is at 6:30pm and Stations at 7pm.
Father will hear Confessions following the Stations. Each week a different version of the Stations will be used to offer
new insights and reflections while meditating on our Lord’s Passion and its meaning in our lives.
Sylvia McEwen Benefit: Taco – Chili Supper on Saturday, March 11th: 4pm – 8pm at YMCA Children’s School / St.
Catherine Hall 400 N. College Ave. – Aledo. Five-year-old Sylvia McEwen was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma cancer
in July 2021. After completing chemo, radiation, and blood transfusion treatments at Peoria at OSF Hospital, recent
scans in January revealed that while the tumor in her back and around her spine had shrunk significantly, cancer
remains. A new treatment schedule is set to begin. The supper is free will offering to raise funds to support Sylvia and
help with the family's expenses. (50/50, prizes, drawings, silent auction.)
There are sign-up sheets at the entrances of the churches to donate and help with the supper.
There will be only one Saturday Mass on March 11th at 4pm at St. Catherine.
DTS Sunday: All high school students are invited to DTS next Sunday at St. Anthony at 6pm.
Spiritual Adoption Thank You: A heartfelt “Thank You” to all who contributed to the Women’s Care Center in Peoria. A
total of $620 was donated on behalf of the Spiritual Adoption prayer program.
Corned Beef Dinner: St. Theresa Church in Alexis is serving a St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Dinner next Sunday, March 5 th
from 4 pm to 6:30 pm.
Lenten Presentation: Julie Carrick author of “Savior & Sustenance” will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Silvis
March 6-7. Doors open at 6PM, Rosary at 6:30PM and talk at 7PM. A free will donation will be taken up.
It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Mass. (Padre Pio)
Please help our parish to reach our ADA goal. Countless lives in our parish, our community and throughout the 26
counties in the Diocese of Peoria are touched by the ministries and programs supported by the Annual Diocesan Appeal.
Our goal for this year’s ADA is $26,833. To date, we have 55 pledges totaling $ 18,120 (last year there were 76 pledges).
Even though we have not reached our goal, it is not too late to contribute; the appeal runs through the end of August. A
gift to the ADA, no matter how great or small can go a long way in simultaneously helping Diocesan ministries and our
parish bottom line. There are pledge cards in the vestibule of both churches or you can ask Father for a card or call the
rectory. Remember, all funds received over our goal are returned to our parish.
The HALLOW app: If you did not access HALLOW during Advent, you are urged to try it during Lent. You can access it
for free and the subscription takes you through Easter Sunday. You will find Q code cards and flyers at the entrance of
the churches. One Lenten feature has Jonathan Roumie and Jim Calviezel (both actors who have played Christ) reading
from the spiritual classic, The Imitation of Christ. Each week there will be reflections on different themes in the book
including weekly fasting challenges, and meditations on the Corporal Works of Mercy, with powerful reflections on the
Sunday Gospels.
FORMED: Our parishes subscribe to [Link] – a great resource for video, audio, and e-books. Movies, studies, talks,
fiction and non-fiction books are at your fingertips. Go to the site and register. Enter our new parish name: St. Mary
Magdalene, 106 NE 4th ST. Aledo, il 61231.
The Catholic Post, our award-winning diocesan newspaper, is a valuable resource for Catholic living and unity across the
26 counties of central Illinois that comprise our Diocese. Subscribe instantly via credit card or debit card online at
[Link] or call (309) 671-1550 during business hours, or send a check to The Catholic Post, P.O. Box 1722,
Peoria, IL 61656. The Subscription rate remains at $30. Additional levels of support are available. (And don’t forget to
follow The Catholic Post on Facebook to get breaking news and stories of faith.)
The March for Life Chicago is moving to Illinois’ capitol: Springfield – March 21, 2023.
The Move includes:
New Name: The March for Life Chicago is now the Illinois March for Life
New Location: The rally and march move from Chicago to Springfield, IL
New Day: Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
SAME MISSION: Save Midwestern Lives by marching for life in the public square!
Since 2013, the rally and march has served as a unifying event for the pro-life movement that grew through the
Midwest. The 2023 move continues that unity as it is supported by weDignify, Illinois Right to Life, Lutheran Church
Missouri—Synod, Wisconsin Right to Life, Illinois Knights of Columbus, and more!
State laws matter, more than ever!
Because of new state laws in the USA, 10,000 lives were saved from abortion in just 2 months after Roe was
overturned. Unfortunately, Illinois is not among them.
Now, in a Post-Roe era, it is crucial to march where state laws are made and in front of the elected lawmakers. More
information to come…
REGULATIONS FOR LENT AND EASTER TRIDUUM
Lent is the principal season of penance in the Christian year. Priests, religious and laity are strongly urged to develop and
follow a program of voluntary self-denial, attentiveness to prayer, and especially to works of charity and mercy.
Everyone of 14yrs of age or over is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent.
Everyone 18 yrs. and under 59 yrs. of age is bound to fast on Good Friday April 7 th. On Good Friday, only one full meatless
meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs,
but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted on these two days, but
liquids including milk and fruit juices are allowed. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law
does not oblige. To disregard completely the law of fast and abstinence is a serious matter. May our Lenten journey bring
us closer to the cross and our Resurrected Savior.
A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament.
In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must
go ahead. If it stands still the wind will blow it back.
You must speak to Jesus also with the heart, besides the lips; indeed, in certain cases you must speak to him
only with the heart.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)