Fr. Ronald Rolheiser is a Canadian priest, a prolific author and much sought after speaker. In one of his recent articles, he offers the following which I found a good refection piece for Good Friday – Easter.

"When we look at the drama of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the drama in which he struggles to give his death over to us as he had been giving his life over, we see that this drama is precisely a drama of love, not a physical one. Unlike Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of Christ, the gospel accounts of Jesus’ passion and death do not emphasize his physical sufferings, in fact they almost write them out. What they do emphasize rather is his moral and emotional loneliness, his distance from others, his being cut out of the circle of human understanding, and his exclusion from human intimacy. The gospel tells us that he "was a stone’s throw from everyone",

As Jesus approached his death, his earthly experience paralleled that of Cain. His offering, it seemed, was not being accepted, either by God or everyone, around him. He felt the radical isolation that comes precisely from exclusion, from misunderstanding, from being the object of hatred. The human temptation, surely, must have been towards bitterness, anger, self-pity, and hatred. But his actions are the antithesis of Cain’s and his response to the bitter feelings that surely must have arisen inside of him constitute precisely his real sacrifice and are the great moral challenge he left us. Surrounded by jealousy, hatred and misunderstanding, he gives his life over in trust. When everything tempts him toward bitterness, he moves towards graciousness. When everything tempts him toward hatred, he moves towards love. When everything tempts him towards shutting others out, he makes himself still more vulnerable so that others can come in. When all around him there is coldness, paranoia, and curses, he affirms others, blesses them, and affirms warmth and trust. What a person does when love turns sour is the real drama of love. Cain gives us one answer. Jesus gives us another." Jesus dies with a heart of flesh, a heart marked by all the qualities that let us know that he is no companion to stoniness. It is precisely because of this, that it becomes so easy for God to gift the human Jesus with the new life of Easter. As we celebrate Jesus being raised from the dead by his Father and ours, for the next 50 days, may it help us to rid ourselves of all that places a barrier to the new life that God is always offering us

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Fr. Goss, Sr Marie, Karen, Jan, Jeanne, Bill, Christine, Shirley (our volunteer staff person) and I wish you and your families the full life and joy of Easter

On March 31, we had over 160 people from the four Catholic Parishes of the city for a Lenten evening celebrating God’s forgiving and reconciling power. It was a time of deep prayer and healing. This is twice the number we had at our City Advent Reconciliation Service at Christ the King Parish in December. This is a good sign for hope as we share our future as Catholic Christians with the three other parishes in Brockton.

Mathias Cann, 87 years is a long time parishioner usually at daily mass and the 4pm Saturday Mass. On April 4th he married, Evelyn Napoleon (only 70 years) a long time friend. Matt is currently at New England Sinai Rehabilitation Center, Stoughton on the mend from illness. You can send him congratulation cards at Sinai 150 York St. Stoughton, MA

Theresa Pitaro, a very long time parishioner will be 99 years old on Easter Monday. Some of the Staff will be going to West Acres Nursing Home to celebrate Eucharist with her on that day. Birthday cards can be sent to West Acres 804 Pleasant St, Brockton, MA 02301

The Cardinal signed a contract with Auburn Construction in March to complete Phase 1 of the reconstruction of our church hall. The work begins in earnest this week. When the work begins, the door to the church facing the rectory will not be accessible. Please use the other entrances (i.e.) Torrey St. or the front doors. Thank you.