Christmas Pageant 2011

30 Years of Tradition 
Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.~Calvin Coolidge

Merry Christmas!

Answering God's Challenge

Time, talent, and treasure are the three main areas of stewardship.  Of the three, the most emotion enducing aspect is always treasure.  In today's economy, it is often difficult and stressful to take care of our own needs, let alone worrying about tithing or other charitable giving. 

And yet, God calls us to be good stewards of our assets, and to cheerfully share them  to support his church on earth. 

Cheerfully?  Are you kidding?  How can anyone cheerfully give away a portion when there's not even enough to pay the mortage?

See?  You're already stressing.  But you can relax, because God's got your back on this one.  He wants to meet your needs, and he wants  to provide so abundantly that you are able to joyfully support his church and help the needy.

God promises that good stewards, those who are responsible in managing what they already have been given, will be given more.  But it won't happen by sitting in your favorite easy chair, hand outstretched, waiting for money to drop from Heaven.  We need to apply a little action to our faith.

Unfortunately,  money management can be tough, and something we were not always taught growing up.  Even if we did receive a foundation in handling our resources wisely, the world today constantly bombards us with so many anti-stewardship messages that  it can be very difficult to  find even a starting point to begin the journey.

Which brings me to my point. 

I recently stumbled upon a great website that covers all aspects of managing money God's way.  Whether you are interested in budgeting, investing, making more money, or simply trying to figure out how to pay this month's rent, there will be information there to help.

Today I found a great article covering the 20 best ways to save money.  And who couldn't stand to save a little money? 

So, go explore Christian Personal Finance.  The link will take you directly to the article I just mentioned.  PLUS, right now they are giving away a free iPad!  You can enter to win by following the instructions there.   http://christianpf.com/16-ways-to-save-money-by-not-being-normal/

Practicing the Faith

Practicing the Faith (e.g. going to Mass) is essential to Christian perfection.

Father Robert Barron is an acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian. He is the Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago and also is the founder of Word On Fire (www.WordOnFire.org).  The above video is part I of a six part series, "Answering the Skeptics"—questions about the church.

A Historic Tweet!

Dear Friends, I just launched NEWS.VA Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ!  With my prayers and blessings,  Benedictus XVI

 

NEWS.VA

The Vatican Today

Bing! The Light Goes On

Today, I met someone through an inadvertent gaffe, and I think that person and I will come to be good friends in spite of my blunder.  As I was flitting about the blogosphere, as I’ve been known to do occasionally—did you all hear my husband laugh out loud just now?  Anyway, while I was out and about, I read an article posted by PatHound over on the Association of Catholic Women Bloggers.  It was a great article written by Father Patrick Brennan, and well worth reading.  I wanted Pat to know how much I appreciated her posting the Good Father’s article and shot off a message that started off something like this—

Hey, Pat~ Great article, thanks for posting it, blah, blah, blah...

I hit the submit button, and off it went, as did I.  Before I left the site, however, I was scanning the list of authors who contribute to the blog … when I came across Father Patrick Brennan’s name again.  BING!  The light goes on.  I didn’t just write a message to Father “Pat(rick)” Brennan, and greet him by saying … Hey, Pat, did I?  There was one way to find out.  The author of the article, Father Brennan, mentioned he had posted the article on his website today, too.  If I wanted to know, all I had to do was click Father Patrick’s link.  So, what the heck, holding my breath, I clicked.  Yikes!  You can read my apology here, visit Father Patrick Brennan’s blog, Humblepiety here, and read the post that led me to Father Patrick below.

As you can see, Father “Pat” and I have struck up a friendship now that we’ve got our introductions straight, and he’s kindly allowed me to post his article on our Parish blog.  Be sure to click the links above, and check out his other fascinating posts, and if you happen to be a lover of cats, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!  Be sure to mention you’re a friend of mine, because I’m sure he’ll take pity on you and offer up a few extra prayers for your care! 

Whoever acts on these words of mine!

Reading the gospel today I see the inspiration for the fairy tale the “Big Bad Wolf” published in 1843, the tale of the three pigs who huffed and puffed!  

The gospel is a real goodie! It contains a wonderful few words from Jesus, words not to be missed!

There is a practical reality of listening to and acting upon the words of Christ and this is demonstrated quite beautifully. The listener is left in no doubt about the importance of hearing Jesus’ words and putting them into practice.

We all need to reside somewhere, a shelter, a place to base our lives, a sanctuary, a place to call our own, the Englishman’s home is his castle! The home is important whatever way we look at it. If my home is built on sand, the foundations will not keep the house in one piece, a downfall of rain and my home is gone!! So simple and so practical too, this for me is the essence of a good spiritual life simple and practical!

Jesus tells us the importance of making a foundation when it comes to sustaining faith It is no good saying I love Jesus dearly but I love bickering just as much! Not much point in saying I accept forgiveness for my weakness from the sacramental encounter with Christ and then stubbornly refuse to forgive those who trespass against me! There is little gain in sitting in my Sunday best in church each Sunday and the rest of the week persecuting my neighbor! Simple, we cry, I get it! But good to be reminded of it and I think that is the beauty of the scriptures A little gentle reminder to me to say: Am I taking care of the foundations of my faith: Prayer, trust, Mass, confession, charity, love, hope joy, peace, neighborliness, gentleness, patience, reverence, modesty, humility? There are a lot of foundations! One or other may slip and bring the house down! Stormy weather in life’s journey could loosen the foundations, so it is good to concentrate on them now and again. How are your foundations?

What cements the Word of God in the Mass today is the bit of advice from Jesus that says; don’t just listen to God’s Word but act on it! In other words receive it, allow it to make an impact on you, enable it to penetrate to the very foundations our faith is built on and allow it to repair and tweek the cracks and strains we find.

When troubles come and boy oh boy do they come! When doubts come to the surface, when we look at the media laying before us the weakness and the sins of "holy" trusted men and in some cases the vile crimes of those in positions of trust, as it has done recently it feels as if the house we have built in faith is shifting on its foundations, it is shaking, we are shaking with fear, anger, indignation, disbelief.... in these moments we dig deep we check the foundations, we see that our Faith is built on the rock of faith in Christ a sustaining and encouraging rock in bad times and good.

Take care of the foundations, act on the Words of God!

By Father Patrick Brennan

Boys Scouts Garage Sale

Do you have "stuff" that you don't use just taking up space around your house and garage?  Put it to good use at the Annual St. Ambrose Boy Scouts Garage Sale.   It's the perfect place to take it, as the sale helps raise funds for the scouts to go to summer camp.

You can drop off your items on Friday, June 24th, between 4:00pm-7:00pm at the Church. The scouts will be hovering around the east side of the Vaughan Center, near the playground.

The sale is June 25th from 6:00am-11:00am, in the parking lot of the Church.

Whether or not you donate, be sure to come out and support the boy scouts. As the old adage goes "one man's trash is another man's treasure".

We hope to see you all there in support of our wonderful Boy Scout Troop!!!

For questions call John Steffen 801.244.4806

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About.....Blogging?

Have you had a chance to poke around our new parish blog?  Well, it just got a lot easier. 

Thanks to the efforts of the computer geek on the blogging team, we now have a page entitled, “Come Play With Us.”  You can click here to explore and learn the “how to’s” of romping about @St.Ambrose blog.  http://atstambrose.blogspot.com/p/come-play-with-us.html

This page has simple explanations and instructions on how to comment on a post, how to follow us, how to submit ideas for future posts, and most important of all, how to sign up to receive updates by email.

We encourage every parishioner to receive updates by email, here:  http://atstambrose.blogspot.com/  The submission form is on the left side, right below our Welcome Message.  Just type in your email address and click the submit button—voila!

Your @St,Ambrose blogging team wants to make this a fun, interactive place for all of us.  It’s the place to find up-to-date information on parish events, groups, volunteer opportunities, and lots of other Catholic stuff.  And when you sign up to receive updates by email, you will automatically receive new information as it is posted. 

It’s your own personal online coffee klatch—a casual social gathering for coffee and conversation via the Internet—so, pull up a chair, fire-up  that computer, and grab your cup of joe, here we go…

One more thing…it will be very helpful to bookmark or mark as a favorite @St.Ambroses’ home page:  http://atstambrose.blogspot.com/  That way you can easily pop in, look around, and go right to the information you need by using our nifty “search” feature.

 

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

Sunday, Father Andrezj told us about the Holy Trinity Icon during his homily.  The Holy Trinity Icon depicts the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  God invites us to sit at the table with him.  The message: there is always a place at the table for us, always...

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Blessed Trinity, the Feast of God, of the center of our faith: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When one thinks of the Trinity, one usually thinks of the aspect of the mystery: they are Three and they are One, one God in three Persons. Actually God in his greatness cannot be anything but a mystery for us, yet he revealed himself. We can know him in his Son and thus also know the Father and the Holy Spirit. Instead today’s Liturgy draws our attention not so much to this mystery as to the reality of love that is contained in this first and supreme mystery of our faith. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one because God is love and love is an absolute life-giving force; the unity created by love is a unity greater than a purely physical unity.  read more...

St. Ambrose Parish Picnic: Slideshow

More from the picnic...

One hundred and twenty-six photos for your viewing pleasure!

Yes, there's more...

STEWARDSHIP — What does it mean to YOU?

STEWARDSHIP. What does it mean to YOU? What does it mean to the person next to you? Chances are there are many descriptions of the good work associated with this concept. It is all encompassing. But almost all responses will have the common factor of being a disciple of Christ! That’s it! In being a disciple of Christ it means that we live our promise of Baptism and Confirmation, that we carry our faith into our every action! Jesus is with us, guides us in our actions if we only ask Him for His help through prayer. He shows us the way through the gospel so we know how to act. 

Bishop John Wester invites every parish to establish a Stewardship Council to focus on Stewardship within our parish. With Bishop Wester’s guidance, this group of 20 devoted parishioners from St. Ambrose Parish, we begin the study of what we do well, what we need to improve, and how we will make the needed changes in keeping participation in our parish meaningful to all parishioners. Our Stewardship Council looks forward to talking with you, parishioners, to incorporate your ideas in the parish plan.

As we begin this journey, we experience a conversion of heart that comes through the Holy Spirit working within us. The US Council of Catholic Bishop’s stewardship pastoral letter tells us:

            Beginning in conversion, change of mind and heart,

            the commitment is expressed not in a single action,

            nor even in a number of actions over a period of time,

            but in an entire way of life.

We look forward to our work with you, fellow parishioners.

Rosemary Baron, Stewardship Council Chair

St. Ambrose Parish Picnic

I love parish picnics. They are a time of great fun, fellowship and enjoyment. They also remind me about the original version of the parish picnic—the generosity of God shown in the feeding of the five thousand on five loaves of bread and two fish. We’re reminded that the Eucharist itself is a meal in which we are fed and nourished in our souls for meeting the joys and challenges of life.

We’re also reminded how abundant our lives really are.

Click to enlarge photos

Click to enlarge photos

 

Click to enlarge photos

Ten Easy Ways to be a Good Steward

1.     Watch TV

Whether it’s American Idol or CSI, we all have our favorite television programs. Turn TV watching into a stewardship activity by recording your favorite show, then fast forwarding through the commercials when you play it back.  You can watch a 60 minute show in 42 minutes.  Then use those 18 windfall minutes to pray.  That’s stewardship of time.

2.     Treat yourself to gourmet coffee

Do you make a Starbucks run every morning?  OK, nobody’s going to make you feel guilty for your little indulgence.  All we ask is that once a week you make your coffee at home, (yes, you can use Starbucks beans).  Then drop the money you didn’t spend into the collection box for the poor located in the back of the church.  God loves a cheerful giver!

3.     Keep your car looking good

How often do you take your car to the carwash?  Once a week, twice a month?  Maintaining your property is part of good stewardship.  But what if you made a commitment to wash your car by hand once a month?  You’ll get a little exercise, plus you can drop the money you would have spent into the poor box in the gathering space.

4.     Go to garage sales

If you are a garage sale junkie, nothing gets your heart racing like a good yard sale.  So, enjoy your Saturday morning treasure hunts.  Just make a commitment to drive past five sales a month.  That's about one a week.  Then enrich the Poor Box at the back of the church with $20 you didn’t spend on things that are, let’s face it, pretty much unnecessary. 

5.    Work out less.

Do you go to the gym every day?  Three times a week?  What if once a month you gave up just one trip to the gym, and instead parked your car and walked to an errand or to work, or just walked with family members or friends.  You’d be helping the environment, building relationships, and exercising the body God has entrusted to you.  When you are in good shape, it’s easier to respond to whatever purpose God calls you.

6.    Buy some new clothes.

Then donate your old clothes to the poor.  Feeling a little radical?  Choose one new thing to keep, and donate the rest to the poor.  You can drop them off in the pantry at the back of church. 

7.     Go out to dinner.

But this time, split an entrée with someone.  Believe it or not, you won’t go home hungry.  But this exercise in self control will allow you to donate the amount you would have spent on the second entrée to support people who regularly do go to bed hungry.  You’ll be answerilng God’s call to feed the poor, and you might even lose a pound or two.

8.     Do something fun.

God has given each of us different talents.  Usually, if something comes easily to us or we enjoy doing it, that is an indication we are using one of God’s gifts.  So, think about something you enjoy doing.  Do you like to paint, do crafts, teach others?  Are you a great baker, decorator, motivator, or organizer?  Now think of how you might donate some time doing what you love to do.  There are plenty of volunteer opportunities within the church that would allow you to do what you enjoy.  Call the Vaughan Center or the Church office to get hooked up, and make a return on God’s investment in you.

9.     Make new friends.

There’s a whole wide world out there just chock full of people.  Would you like to meet a few?  Consider volunteering!  Quilters Without Borders is a nondenominational group that meets every other month at a different church to make quilts that are donated to worthy organizations.  They will joyfully teach you what to do, and you’ll have fun interacting with women of varied backgrounds.  Or how about working at St. Vincent DePaul’s Soup Kitchen once a month?  Or making lunches at the Good Samaritan Program once a week? If you are handy, maybe Habitat for Humanity would be fun for you.  Think of something you enjoy doing, then think about where you can put your talents to work.  You’ll meet some amazing individuals, and help others at the same time.  That’s stewardship in action.

10. Talk on the phone

Do you love to visit on the phone?  Do your neighbors and friends think your cell phone has been surgically attached to your head?  Your cheerful voice could make someone else’s day a lot brighter.  There are plenty of homebound individuals who would love to receive a phone call from someone other than a telemarketer.  Taking just a few minutes to check on them would be a huge gift, and answers God’s call to help those who are less fortunate.

A Meeting with the Pontiff

This morning, Matt Lauer, co-anchor of the Today show, had an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.  Lucky guy, meeting and talking with a Pope is a rare event.

Matt, along and Al Roker, were in St. Peter’s Square this morning, and afterward shared a private moment with the Pontiff and New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan.  Today, the Archbishop will give Matt and Al a private tour through the Basilica, including a look at Pope John Paul II’s newly installed tomb—the first look for an American broadcast.  NBC’s Anne Thompson will also fill us in on how the Church has embraced social media.  Those stories air tomorrow on Today.

Broadcast this morning on the Today Show:

What was the gift Matt Lauer gave the Pontiff.  It was purrrrfect ... any guesses?

The Power of Prayer

It has been said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."

I think a lot of people would agree with that sentiment. But did you know that, as parishioners of St. Ambrose, we are being prayed for on a regular basis?

Thanks to our St. Ambrose prayer warriors, prayers are offered weekly for our parishioners as a whole, for the needs of the parish, for the Church worldwide, and for our Country and elected officials.

Also, you can join us in our online prayer room, to request prayers or to choose someone to keep in your own prayers.  The prayer requests are handed directly to the Wednesday morning prayer group.

We’ll be posting more about prayers and praying, but in the meantime, here’s a brief explanation of our two main prayer groups. Both groups are open to everyone, and welcome anyone wishing to experience the power of praying in a group setting.

Eucharistic Adoration

This group meets from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Tuesdays in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, for Eucharist Adoration and to pray the rosary. This group is ongoing, so please feel free to join them whenever your schedule allows.

Weekly Prayer Group

This group meets in the Vaughan Center on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am. They are usually finished by 10:30. They pray specifically for the needs of the Parish, and for any special prayer requests they receive. This group is ongoing, so please feel free to join them in prayer whenever your schedule allows.

St. Ambrose Annual Parish Picnic

With the hope of seeing Mr. Sunshine, the parish picnic plans are under way. We are having the picnic at Sugar House park on Sunday the 12th of June. Father will begin the festivities with Mass at 4:00 pm at the park.

This is a perfect time to get out & soak up some sunshine and visit with fellow parish members. The church will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, condiments, plates, napkins and utensils. The list of what each family should bring to share is in the bulletin.

Our chairpersons this year are Todd and Debbie Hopkins.  There's a lot to do to make this event a success,  and they would welcome whatever help you can give.  Call Todd or Debbie at 801-583-6935.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.....

Wednesday Evening Bible Study

Have you ever thought you'd like to learn more about the Bible? Well ,we have an amazing Bible Study group right here at St. Ambrose that meets on Wednesday nights at 7pm.

We are using the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament. This bible is wonderful because it has its own commentary and questions for each of the chapters.  David Halliday leads the group, and I think the best part of the study is the extra preparation and research that David and his wife, Jill, do to educate us more on each chapter.

I know we are all busy, and a weekly commitment is hard to add to our
schedules.  But in this group you can come and go as your time allows.
You'll just have to attend a session and experience it for yourself to
see what I mean. Hope to see you there soon.

SonSurf: Vacation Bible Camp

It’s been 40 years and I can still remember vacation bible camp.  Boy, those were the days!  Swimming, horseback riding, hiking, and friendships made that were never forgotten.  I loved the skits reenacting bible stories, and looking up to those amazing youth counselors, hoping someday that would be me.


Well, it’s that time of year again.

St. Ambrose bible vacation camp will be held at Camp Kostopulos, June 24-26.  Kids will have a great time singing songs, watching skits, creating crafts and playing games.  But most important, when they meet up with Jesus, they’ll discover just how much Jesus loves them. 

Friday Afternoon 3:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Family Mass and Potluck 6:00 pm

Registration form here.  Registration deadline is May 29th.
Contact Pam or Carolyn with any questions 801.485.9324

A Seminarian's Journey

Each year, the Pontifical North American College in Rome extends its hospitality to benefactors at a meal in their honor.  One of the evening's highlights is the entertainment at the dinner itself performed by seminarians of the College. 

This year, the entertainment was directed by Christopher Gray, a seminarian for the Diocese of Salt Lake City who formerly worked for the Intermountain Catholic, our local Diocese newspaper.

I've posted the dress rehearsal video so you have an unobstructed view of the stage.  You can watch the video of the actual event here.

Interestingly, while I was gathering information for this post, I came across Christopher’s blog, which is absolutely amazing!  VOS ESTIS SAL TERRAE You are the salt of the earth • From Salt Lake City to Rome.  You’d be nuts if you don’t take a moment to check out the amazing journey of Christopher Gray.  I was mesmerized by the photographs of Rome, the Vatican, Holy Places, and his writings.  He notes, “Studying in Rome is a wonderful experience, and it is important to share the experience with everyone back home.  I’m here for you.”

Christopher is the son of Deacon Gray and Maria Cruz Gray.  Maria was recently awarded the Faithful Servant Award from Bishop Wester ... but that’s another story!

Beloved Pope John Paul II

'Blessed are you, beloved Pope John Paul II'

Pope Benedict XVI beatifies his predecessor as 1 million pilgrims crowd St. Peter’s Square and streets around Vatican to witness historic event

It wasn’t the quite “Santo Subito” shouted out at Pope John Paul II’s 2005 funeral, but millions who have a devotion to the late pontiff have reason to cheer after his May 1 beatification — the fastest in modern times.

More than 1 million pilgrims traveled to Rome to witness the historic event, packing into St. Peter’s Square and streets surrounding the Vatican, with others watching on large screens throughout Rome. The crowd cheered loudly when the portrait of the new blessed was unveiled and when Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, the French nun whose miraculous cure of Parkinson’s through Pope John Paul’s intercession paved the way for the beatification, and Sister Tobiana Sobodka, the Polish nun who ran his household, presented Pope Benedict XVI with a reliquary containing the blood of the late pontiff.
Deeply united to God

Pope Benedict addressed Pope John Paul’s holiness in his homily at the beatification, along with his contributions to the Church, his bravery in taking on Marxism and his devotion to Mary. But he ended with his own personal reflections of his predecessor, whom he served for 23 years:

“I would like to thank God for the gift of having worked for many years with Blessed Pope John Paul II. I had known him earlier and had esteemed him, but for 23 years, beginning in 1982 after he called me to Rome to be prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, I was at his side and came to revere him all the more. My own service was sustained by his spiritual depth and by the richness of his insights. His example of prayer continually impressed and edified me: he remained deeply united to God even amid the many demands of his ministry. Then, too, there was his witness in suffering: The Lord gradually stripped him of everything, yet he remained ever a ‘rock,’ as Christ desired. His profound humility, grounded in close union with Christ, enabled him to continue to lead the Church and to give to the world a message which became all the more eloquent as his physical strength declined. In this way he lived out in an extraordinary way the vocation of every priest and bishop to become completely one with Jesus, whom he daily receives and offers in the Church.

“Blessed are you, beloved Pope John Paul II, because you believed! Continue, we implore you, to sustain from heaven the faith of God’s people. You often blessed us in this Square from the Apostolic Palace: Bless us, Holy Father! Amen.”

Resource: Our Sunday News Visitor May 5th 2011

Easter Blessing

 May every blessing, gift and grace of this Holy Season of Easter be yours.
~Father Andrzej  Skrzypiec~

Activist retires after 26 years with Diocese of Salt Lake City

Back in 1985, Dee Rowland was reluctant to take a job working for the Catholic Church because she feared she might not be pious enough. That concern apparently hasn’t been an issue: For the past 26 years Rowland has served as the government liaison for the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Now, however, her retirement is at the door.

"Dee Rowland has been an outstanding member of the diocesan family for many years now," said Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general of the diocese.

In addition to her position as government liaison, Rowland has represented the diocese on many public boards and committees. She also oversees the diocese’s Peace and Justice Commission and coordinates the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

"Dee Rowland has been the superb director of the Government Liaison office of the Salt Lake Diocese for so many years that it is difficult to imagine that work without her," said the Most Rev. George H. Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, who supervised Rowland while he was Bishop of Salt Lake City from 1995 to 2006. "Dee witnesses to the Gospel’s and the Church’s teaching on peace and justice in such a clear, compassionate and generous way that she has the respect and affection of even those who disagree with her, and certainly of us who don’t." Read more>>>

Source: Laura V. Sausedo, Intermountain Catholic

New Words: A Deeper Meaning, but the Same Mass

New Roman Missal, Third Edition

For many people, change does not come easy.  Change requires us to stop doing things a certain way in order to do something else. Many people find comfort in familiar routines and known ways of acting. Change interrupts those familiar routines. But change is also an opportunity to stop and reflect on what we are doing and to come to a better understanding of God, who does not change.

An Interview with Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond

The Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond, Chairman of the Committee on Divine Worship and Archbishop of New Orleans, discusses the upcoming Roman Missal, Third Edition with Msgr. Jim Vlaun, President & CEO of TelecareTV, during the November 2010 USCCB plenary meeting. http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/

Of Gods and Men

Now playing at: Broadway Centre Theatre

111 East Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT

Winner of the Grand Prix at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Of Gods and Men stars Lambert Wilson as Christian, Prior of the monks, and 79-year-old Michael Lonsdale as a world weary medic who treats up to 150 Muslim villagers each day.

The film derives its title from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 82:6-7 quoted at the beginning of the film: "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes."

Filmed in Morocco, the film shows the daily life of the Trappist monks before the terrorist threat ('90s civil war) becomes real, and the groups struggle as they decide whether to leave or stay.

Rated PG-13 for a momentary scene of startling wartime violence, some disturbing images and brief language.

Operation Rice Bowl

Operation Rice Bowl, Catholic Relief Services’(CRS) Lenten program, began in 1975 in the Diocese of Allentown, PA as a response to the drought in the African Sahel. For more than 35 years, Operation Rice Bowl has offered Catholics in the United States a way to connect with our brothers and sisters in need around the world.

Each Lent, nearly 13,000 faith communities across the United States participate to demonstrate solidarity with the poor around the world. Seventy-five percent of Operation Rice Bowl donations come to CRS to help fund development programs designed to increase food security around the world. Twenty-five percent of the donations support hunger and poverty alleviation efforts in dioceses within the United States.

Next Weekend, Palm Sunday, we will place a basket in front of the Altar for your Operation Rice Bowls (or any contribution you would like to make towards Operation Rice Bowl). Please bring them to Mass with you & they will be received with the gifts during the Offertory.

Holy Week Liturgy Schedule

Holy Week is the final week of Lent.  It commemorates the events of our Lord's last week before His death.  The chief festivals of Holy Week are Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil (Holy Saturday).  Holy Week, together with Easter, is the most sacred part of the Christian calendar—the celebration of the death and resurrection Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.


Holy Thursday
Thursday April 21
Mass of the Lord's Last Supper, with the washing of feet, 6:00 pm
(Quiet adoration in the chapel until midnight)

Good Friday
Friday April 22
Stations of the Cross, 3:00pm
Solemn Good Friday Liturgy, 6:00pm
Passion of John, Veneration of the Cross, Communion

Easter Vigil Celebration
Saturday 23
Blessing of Easter Food (in Polish) 3:00 pm
Service of Light, Expanded Liturgy of the Word, Celebration of Sacraments of Initiation,and Eucharist, 8:30 pm

Easter Sunday Masses
Sunday April 24
7:45 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm (Mass in Polish)

Welcome to Our Blog

Welcome to St. Ambrose: Believers Dialogue blog, an exciting online forum designed to share our Catholic faith.  Like the faith itself, our blog is a place for discovery, insight, and fun!  We’re gathering together Parish information, stories, observations, reflections and more.

Visit us often to read about upcoming events, browse our photos and videos, hear the latest about St. Ambrose activities, and keep up on what’s new in the Catholic faith community.  Blog postings are made by several writers who share a passion for our Catholic beliefs.  They include: Father Andrzej Skrzypiec, St. Ambrose Pastor; Melanie Elizondo, Administrative Assistant; parishioners Holly Langton and Rose West; and other Parish and community guests.

And of course, we want to hear your comments on our St. Ambrose community, favorite prayers and activities, Parish programs, and more.  We hope you’ll enjoy our new online community, which is designed to enhance our Catholic faith, pique our curiosity about many Parish services and the larger faith world around us, and connect with each other.