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In our First Reading today (Genesis 9:8-15), God speaks to Noah and his children. It is God who takes the initiative, who acts first. By speaking to Noah, God intervenes in human history in order to establish a special relationship a covenant
with Noah and his descendants. Today’s Reading describes the essence of God’s promise. Never again would God destroy his creation as he had with the great flood. Instead, God will honor his creation even when his people fail to live up to their part of the covenant. God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant that existed between God and man.

Wednesday of this week is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. There are some people who seem to have a mistaken understanding of the reception of ashes and assign more importance to receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday than they do to attending Sunday Mass. Do not be misled. The ashes are NOT a Sacrament. They are what is called a “sacramental” and are no different than blessing yourself with Holy Water when you enter or leave the church. What is exceptional about the reception of ashes is that it normally occurs only one day a year (on Ash Wednesday), and that it is an outward sign – a public declaration, if you will – that one is a sinner and is in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. If we receive the ashes and then do not follow it up with a Sacramental Confession at some point during Lent, we have done nothing but condemn ourselves as hypocrites.

The Parish Office and Our Lady of Fatima School will be closed on Monday, February 15, 2021, in observance of the Presidents' Day holiday.

Students at Our Lady of Fatima School and public school students in the Catechism program will be receiving cardboard “Rice Bowls” to use during Lent as we participate in Operation Rice Bowl. Rice bowls will also be available in the church and parish office for other parishioners who would like to participate. The Rice Bowls will be collected during Holy Week. 75% of our Rice Bowl donations go to support the programs of Catholic Relief Services throughout the world, and 25% of our Rice Bowl donations support local projects to alleviate hunger and poverty here in our own Archdiocese.

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed in the church at 6:30 PM on Fridays during Lent. Parishioners are invited to participate. Because of the continuing COVID precautions, we will not be having Lenten Soup Suppers this year. ​​​​​​​The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be offered during the Stations of the Cross.

Next weekend is the beginning of our Annual Catholic Appeal campaign for 2021 and we will have the opportunity to complete pledge cards. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Love Your Neighbor.” Parishioners who have made a pledge to the ACA in the past three years recently received a letter, pamphlet, and pledge card from Archbishop John Wester regarding the importance of the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). Unlike the tithing renewal that we normally do in November in which we commit ourselves to a weekly tithe to the support of our local parish, the Annual Catholic Appeal is our opportunity to consider the needs not just of our own parish, but of Catholics across the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Join us for a seven-week Adult Faith Formation Lenten journey beginning February 16, 2021. A study guide will be provided. In-person and Zoom meetings are available. Please call the parish office to register (505-265-5868).

Today begins a nationwide observance of Catholic Schools Week, recognizing Catholic Schools as communities of faith, knowledge, and service. Within our own parish, Our Lady of Fatima School has been fulfilling this role for 71 years. Tens of thousands of students have benefited from the education and spiritual formation they received at Our Lady of Fatima School over the years, and today’s students continue to do so.

Wednesday, February 3rd is the Feast of St. Blaise with the traditional blessing of throats which will take place after the 6:30 AM and 8:15 AM Masses. Given the current pandemic, I think it is prudent to not bless individual throats this year. The blessing will take place after the General Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful) using an alternate form which is described in the Book of Blessings.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 17th. There will be three Masses with distribution of ashes that day: 6:30 AM, 8:15 AM, and 5:30 PM. The distribution of ashes will take place after the homily. There will also be a Liturgy of the Word (no Communion) with distribution of ashes at 12:10 PM in the afternoon. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, all Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are bound by the rule of fasting.

Opportunities may arise each day that may not come our way again. In order to take advantage of them, one must seize the day (“Carpe diem!” as it is said in Latin). Sad to say, many times people just fail to respond, and lose out on an opportunity. God places an array of opportunities before his people; opportunities to choose life. God not only gave us life, he redeemed our lives and showed us the path to everlasting life through the ministry and sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

January is a busy month as we prepare for Catholic Schools Week. This week is a time for us to truly celebrate Catholic Schools and have some fun while doing it. Catholic Schools Week begins on January 31st and ends on February 6th. During the course of the week we make sure to thank those people who help to make our school successful: our students, our families, our Priests, our community and our Falcon teachers and staff!

We have begun the 2021 Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) Campaign. The ACA provides approximately 35% of the funding for ministries of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and every parish is assigned a mandatory goal. Our assigned goal is $42,500 in pledges this year. Remember that all paid pledges that are in excess of our goal will be rebated back to our parish. If you have not already made a pledge to ACA for 2021, please prayerfully consider doing so. Informational brochures and pledge cards are located at the entrances of the church. Please note that no funds from ACA go to pay Archdiocesan legal expenses or settlements. It all goes to support ministry.

Having concluded the Christmas Season last Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord, we now begin the Mass readings for Ordinary Time. The Sunday Mass readings are on a three-year cycle with Year A containing the Gospel of Matthew, Year B containing the Gospel of Mark, Year C containing the Gospel of Luke, and readings from the Gospel of John appearing in all three years.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and the official end to the Church’s observance of the Christmas season. After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, he was praying when Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove; and a voice came from the heavens declaring, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11).

Year-end contribution statements will soon be mailed to all parishioners who contributed a total of $50 or more to Our Lady of Fatima Parish in 2020. This would include donations made to St. Vincent de Paul, Fatima School Support (not including tuition), and other second collections. Please contact the Parish Office if you have not received your statement by the end of January. If your total donations for 2020 were less than $50 and you would like a copy of your contribution statement, it may be requested from the parish office. Thank you for your financial support of our parish.

Fr. John, Fr. Anthony, and I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the many acts of kindness that we have received in the past few weeks. I am humbled by the thoughtfulness of so many people who sent cards, or brought over home-made cookies and other gifts. A special “thank-you” also to all those who donated baby diapers and baby clothing to our “Giving Tree” to support Birthright in their mission to provide for mothers who are in need of assistance. May the Lord’s blessing be upon you throughout the new year.