Our Easter season began most joyfully at the Vigil Mass when Edward Butkus and his two children, Raymond and Joanna, Stefanie Phillips, Shawn Cassidy and McKenna Hallager where baptized, confirmed and received their First Communion. In addition, Stephanie Tinsley, who was part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults class, took part in the ceremonies. Stephanie, who was baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church, will be received into the Catholic Church when the proper dispensations are obtained.

The Home and School Association had a Monte Carlo Night on April 28 so that the parishioners could get to know their fellow parishioners better, and we thank the members of the committee as well as all who participated.

On Saturday, May 5, the parish will celebrate the First Communion of fifty-five young people. During the Easter Season, we will celebrate our Forty Hours Devotion beginning on Tuesday, May 15 when the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after the 8:00AM Mass and Evening Prayer and Benediction will be celebrated at 7:00PM. On Wednesday, May 16, the Vigil of the Ascension, Exposition will begin after the 8:00AM Mass and at 5:15PM we will have the Vigil Mass followed by the annual May Procession. Weather permitting, the First Communion class will lead the procession to the grotto, followed by the first-year altar servers, the Confirmation class, the congregation, and then the 8th grade graduating class, all in their robes.

On May 27, the Solemnity of Pentecost will be celebrated and we invite all to wear red to church. While Pentecost marks the end of the liturgical Easter Season, as I put in the bulletin of April 15, many Catholics are confused about what is the Easter Duty. One precept of the church says that a Catholic must receive Holy Communion at least once from the First Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday, which this year is on June 3. Another precept says anyone who has committed mortal sin must confess it within one year. Obviously, these precepts are of a minimal nature because as Catholics, we should receive these two sacremanets much more frequently.