Candlemas & St. Blaise

NEXT Sunday, February 2, parishioners may bring candles (that they will use for their home altars) to be blessed at all the Masses this weekend. Candles for church use will also be blessed that day. Get your candles this week! Note: BLESSED candles may NOT be sold, so be advised that any candle sold at the Gift Shop or Pastoral Center has not been blessed.

Also, next Sunday, in anticipation of the Feast of St. Blaise there will be a general (not individual) blessing of the throats before the end of Mass. On Monday, February 3, the actual Feast of St. Blaise, individual blessing of throats will take place at the 8:10 am Mass.

Every year on February 3, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Blaise. Since he is the patron saint of those who suffer from throat ailments (and the doctors who treat them), many parishes around the world offer the “blessing of throats” in his honor.

A bishop and eventual martyr, Blaise of Sebaste, Armenia, began his spiritual journey as a hermit. He was a physician and known to be a miracle worker. He practiced the medicine of his time and is included in the group of the “14 holy helpers” of the Catholic Church - called that because they are considered effective intercessors against certain ailments of the body and soul.

Weekly practices are on Wednesday at 3:15-4:15pm in the church and will sing as scheduled at parish Masses attended by SLM School and/or Religious Education families. Contact Coach Les for membership information.