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Once per month from May through September, we will again take a collection to support our four cemeteries: Old Mt. Calvary, New Mt. Calvary, the Annex, and St. Joseph Cemetery. Some have asked why do we need to have these collections when, at the time of purchase of a plot, there is a charge for “perpetual care”? This may help to explain why they are necessary. The percentage of the cost of a plot identified for perpetual care is 60% of the sale price. The intent is to provide ongoing care of the cemetery grounds such as mowing and trimming at all four of our cemeteries. As many more people move to cremation burials/columbarium burials, the perpetual care fund is depleting since there is no charge for perpetual care for cremations and the purchase of cemetery plots have decreased. However, the grounds at all four cemeteries must still be maintained. Each summer, in addition to our two full-time employees, we must hire two extra full-time persons to keep up with the grounds keeping. As the hourly wages increase, so do our expenses. Cemetery income needs to cover all four full-time salaries. We must also consider that many plots were purchased not just in the past year, but also in previous decades at a price consistent with the economy at the time of purchase. Here are some examples: In 1966, a single grave cost $ 50. Perpetual care: $ 30 (New Mount Calvary) In 2020, a double grave was $ 1,500. Perpetual care: $900 (New Mount Calvary) As you can see, the plot in 1966 needs the same level of care that the plot purchased in 2020, but the $ 50 of perpetual care paid in 1966 was long ago spent. If you have any questions about our cemeteries, please give Wayne Lefebvre, our Cemetery Superintendent a call at 862-0512. - Fr. Lance W. Harlow

On Saturday and Sunday, May 1 and 2, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, Joseph's House will hold an Appreciation Event! On this special occasion, Lori Daudelin, the Director of Joseph's House, wants to take this opportunity to thank all who have been so generous with their support for the mission of Joseph's House. Like St. Joseph, our Outreach Center works quietly everyday supporting the less fortunate in our neighborhood. In addition to information about Joseph's House, to celebrate our patrons, Joseph House will have a FREE raffle. Yes, you read it correctly "A raffle that is FREE to enter"! All you have to do is sign up. Bring a slip of paper with your name and telephone number to church that weekend and drop it in the box at the table at the back of the church. If you don't remember, no worries! You can sign-up at the table before or after Mass. We have wonderful prizes to show our appreciation. They include: two $15 gift certificates to Dunkin Donuts, two “thank you” boxes of Snowflake Chocolates, a beautiful statue of Joseph the Worker, St. Joseph socks, one pound of St. Joseph coffee with an "I Love St. Joseph" mug and trivet, two 8 ½ x 11 pictures of St. Joseph with Jesus, a book of Prayers entitled: “St. Joseph, Man of Faith”, and a St. Joseph Mouse Pad. Every person who stops by the table will also be given a "Thank you" bag of treats! If you wish to contribute to support the mission of Joseph House, Lori will be there to share information about ways to donate. The raffle will take place after everyone has had a chance to enter that weekend. You do not need to be present to win. We hope to see all of you there! Click the title above to see the prizes.

The Knights of Columbus Saint Stephen’s Council # 2284 is honored to sponsor and host the 11th Annual Reverend Monsignor Thomas J. Ball Memorial Open this coming May 15, 2021! Sunrise Mass! Great Fun! Great Golf! Great Food! Great Hole-in-One Prizes! Win a 2021 Mercedes-Benz C300! Win $ 10,000 in Cash! Win a $ 10,000 Appliance Package! A 4-Person team scramble format! Entry fee is $ 400 per team! $ 80,000 Dollar and $ 1,000,000 Dollar Shootouts too! Kindly consider playing or supporting this amazing golf tournament! Please call Greg Clairmont at 802-343-8446 or Email listandsellvt@gmail.com for further information. Remember always: “Be perfect as Thy Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48)

Catholic School House is a Catholic Homeschooling program that meets weekly at St. Mary’s in St. Albans for chorus, class time, science and art for all ages. We are accepting registrations for the 2021-22 school year. Open house dates are April 13th, May 4th and May 11th. Contact Patty Lawson at (802) 242-1321 or burlingtonvt.catholicschoolhouse.com.

The Cathedral of St. Joseph will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday on April 11th beginning at 3:00 PM with the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Eucharistic Adoration and Confession until 4:00 PM. We will close with Benediction. All are welcome!

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ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY FOR HOLY ORDERS On Sunday, March 7th, during the 10AM Mass, Bishop Coyne will celebrate the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders for our Seminarian, Brandon Schneider. This is a simple ritual in the Church whereby a man preparing to be ordained comes before his bishop and seeks to be formally recognized as a candidate for ordination. He will have been in a process of discernment and formation, and he is now ready to petition the bishop - and the Church - to continue on the path to ordination. In the ritual, the bishop, after questioning the candidate on his intentions to complete his formation to be ordained, formally accepts him as a candidate for ordination and gives him a blessing. Through this ritual, the candidate declares publicly his desire to “bind himself to the service of God and all” as he makes his final preparations to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Please continue to pray for Brandon as he takes this important step in his vocation.

Cathedral of St. Joseph - 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Deacon Phil Lawson, Diocesan Director of Evangelization and Catechesis, will lead reflections and prayers; music by Bill Gavin. There will be Eucharistic Adoration, recitation of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and Confession. This event will be live streamed for those unable to attend in person. Use this link to find the live stream link: https://vermontcatholic.org/news/communication/tv-mass/

Father Harlow is hearing confessions after both weekend Masses: after the 4:00 p.m. Saturday Mass, and after the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. Confessions also are available Saturday morning after the 8:00 a.m. Mass., and Saturday afternoon from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.. All confessions are heard in the confessional in the downstairs chapel.

The St. Nicholas Project is sponsoring a special Lenten fundraiser for the Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. Ryan Tremblay, internationally known Catholic singer/songwriter, is performing a virtual concert on Friday March 12 at 7:30 PM to benefit the children's home. Concert tickets are $10. To join the concert, register at the Zoom log-in address below. I hope that you will join us for this Lenten activity from your own home! See the poster for more details. This is a great way to make a Lenten sacrifice to help the children's home with this work of mercy and to help a Catholic musician during the pandemic. Thank you for remembering the boys and girls at Kurn Hattin. TICKETS - 3/12/21 @ 7:30pm: Ryan Tremblay Virtual Concert to Benefit Kurn Hattin Homes for Children 10.60 Ryan Tremblay Virtual Concert - Friday, March 12th at 7:30 pm ET Join Ryan Tremblay as he performs a live stream concert to benefit Kurn Hattin Homes for Children in Westminster, Vermont! “It’s an absolute joy and honor to be performing a benefit concert in support of Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. As I have come to learn more about the important work they do, it’s apparent that the Lord is working miracles daily through this ministry. Please join me for a beautiful evening of music, witness, and charity on behalf of this worthwhile cause.” - Ryan Tremblay This event will be sponsored by The St. Nicholas Project. For more information, please visit https://www.ryantremblaymusic.com/store/31221-ryan-tremblay-virtual-concert-to-benefit-kurn-hattin-homes-for-children

Beginning on Monday, February 22nd and continuing for all Mondays during Lent, the evening Holy Hour from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM will be dedicated to our patron, St. Joseph. Each Monday, the Litany of St. Joseph will be prayed and seminarian Brandon Schneider will offer spiritual meditations on St. Joseph and attributes associated with him. Confessions will be available during Eucharistic Adoration. Please plan to come and pray with us. Daily Eucharistic Adoration and confessions are also celebrated before the 12:05 Mass from 11:30-Noon except on Thursdays. Saturday confessions are held after the 8:00 AM Saturday morning Mass and from 2:00 -3:00 PM every Saturday afternoon. The Stations of the Cross will be prayed every Friday during Lent at 7:00 PM in the main Church. These will begin on Friday, February 19th. Rice Bowls are available for almsgiving during Lent.

GUIDELINES FOR LENT These are the guidelines to help Catholics observe this special season of prayer, penance and works of charity. · Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, in particular, are the most important penitential days of the liturgical year. They are days of both fast and abstinence. All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. · The rule of fasting states that only one full meal a day can be taken. Two small meals, “sufficient to maintain strength”, are allowed, but together should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals breaks the fast, but drinking liquids does not. The rule of fasting obliges all Catholics from 18 to 59. · Abstinence refers to the eating of meat. The common estimation of the community is used to determine what falls under the category of meat. The rule of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years or older. · The substantial observance of the laws of fast and abstinence is a serious obligation. · Self-imposed fasting on the other weekdays of Lent is recommended. Abstinence on all Fridays of the year is also highly recommended. · Parents and teachers should see to it that, even those who are not bound by the laws of fast and abstinence because of age, are to be brought up in an atmosphere that is conducive to a sense of penance.

The Diocesan World Marriage Day Mass is this weekend at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, February 7, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Because of Covid 19 rules, the Diocese is limiting the number of anniversary couples who may attend the Mass with their families. Please contact Valerie Parczyk at the Diocesan offices with questions. vparzyck@vermontcatholic.org. These parishioners received recognition: Ron and Diana Charboneau: 25 years, William and Michelle Lacroix: 30 years, Richard and Cathy Haggerty: 50 years, John and Mary Carol King: 54 years, Fred and Beth Dusablon: 50 years.

Two virtual information evenings will be held, Wednesday the 10th and the following Tuesday the 16th, both at 7 PM. Learn the details about four Diocesan Formation opportunities. Mark your calendars and join us to learn more about the new Lay Formation Leadership Class; Deacon formation Class; Diocesan Leader of Prayer Program; and Pastoral Associate for Parish Life Formation Program. Please see attached flier (button below) or click on the links below to register. Contact Deacon Phil Lawson for more information Wednesday, Feb. 10th 7pm Registration Link: us02web.zoom.us/meeting. Tuesday, Feb. 16th 7pm Registration Link: us02web.zoom.us/meetin... Info link: Diocesan Formation Opportunities Info Evenings with reg info.docx

Each Wednesday during this year of St. Joseph, Father Harlow is offering a votive, or special intention, Mass to St. Joseph at the daily 12:05 p.m. celebration, in the lower chapel at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.

During the month of November, we pray for the souls in purgatory. Purgatory is a transitional state of being after death for those souls whose imperfections at the hour of death prevent them from direct entry into Heaven. The souls in purgatory are headed towards Heaven. Souls in purgatory do not go to Hell. We can aid the souls in purgatory by having Masses said for them, but also by our own private devotions such as the rosary, divine mercy chaplet, prayers at the grave and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The souls in purgatory can no longer pray for themselves, but they can, however, pray for us. Seek their intercession and pray for them. Although we do not know which individuals are there, we do know by faith and tradition that purgatory is a necessary stage for most people after death. During the month of November, I remember in a special way at Mass all those who have died and the souls in purgatory. If we pray for someone who is already in Heaven, God will apply our prayers to somebody in purgatory who needs them since He accepts our generosity and multiplies it one hundred fold. Please be sure to join us for the daily Masses in the month of November to pray for the dead. If anyone would like me to go to one of our cemeteries to bless a particular grave during November, I would be more than happy to do that. Monday night Eucharistic Adoration has moved for the winter months to the upstairs church. Please come and make a holy hour to pray for your own personal intentions and for the dead God Bless you! - Fr. Lance W. Harlow, Rector

Would you like to bring joy to a family this Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving sign-ups have begun at Joseph’s House and we now need your assistance to make this year’s program a great success. With the rise of food insecurity in our community during this pandemic, and after much prayer, our goal this year is to serve 75 families through this very important program! Donation envelopes are available at the church entryways. and may be placed in the collection baskets with your weekly contribution envelopes. For your convenience, donations may also be made through our new online donation tool at: www.josephshousevt.org - powered by PayPal. With prayers of Thanksgiving for all of you. - Lori

As we move into these uncertain winter months, I want you to know that we at St. Joseph Cathedral are here for you. We miss you. We invite you to come back to Mass if you have been away, even if it is one of our weekday Masses with fewer people present. If you are unsure about attending Sunday Masses during this time of pandemic, simply call the parish office at 658-4333, and I or a minister in the Church will meet you at the church to offer Holy Communion. I am also available to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or the Anointing of the Sick. For Catholics, the Sacraments are instituted by Christ to give us grace. Pope Francis reminds us that Communion is not a reward for good behavior but medicine for the sick. We all need Christ’s help during these difficult times. Take time out each day for your own prayer. Pray as a family before meals. Watch Mass online if you don’t feel safe coming to Mass, and join in the online offerings that our parish and diocese offer. I am here for you and pray daily for you. This is my duty and blessing for me as a parish priest. God bless, Fr. Harlow