Please join us for Sunday Mass live on our parish Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StAdalbertParish/) this Sunday, March 29 as we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent! Our live online mass times are:

8:30am: English

10:00am: Spanish

We look forward to having you with us!

¡Únanse con nosotros para la misa dominical en vivo en nuestra página de Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/StAdalbertParish/) este domingo, el 29 de marzo para celebrar el quinto domingo de la Cuaresma! El horario de misas en vivo son:

8:30 am: inglés

10:00 am: español

¡Los esperamos!

                                                          Updates St. Casimir Parish as of March 25, 2020

This will continually be updated - please consult this website or parish Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StAdalbertParish/) for up-to-date information.

As a result of the travel ban in the State of Indiana, St. Casimir Church and the Felician Chapel will remain closed until further notice.

Additionally the parish office will be closed until further notice. For any need whatsoever, please call Fr. Paul Ybarra, CSC (574-904-3225) or Fr. Ryan Pietrocarlo, CSC (574-334-0049).

                                 Noticias de la Parroquia de San Casimiro desde el 25 de marzo del 2020

Estas noticias van a ser actualizadas continuamente; favor de consultar este sitio web o la página de Facebook de la parroquia (https://www.facebook.com/StAdalbertParish/) para ver las noticas más actualizadas.

A causa de las restricciones de viajar en el Estado de Indiana, la Iglesia de San Casimiro y la Capilla Feliciana permanecerán cerradas hasta entonces.

La oficina parroquial permanecerá cerrada hasta entonces también. Para cualquier necesidad, favor de llamar al Padre Pablo Ybarra, CSC (574-904-3225) o el P. Ryan Pietrocarlo, CSC (574-334-0049).

 Dear Faithful of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend,

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, I write to encourage you, in the words of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, “to live this difficult moment with the strength of the faith, the certainty of hope, and the ardor of charity.”

Like many other dioceses throughout our country and world, I have made the difficult decision, along with the other bishops of Indiana, to suspend the celebration of public Masses in our diocese due to the escalation of the virus and to help prevent its spread. This suspension begins on Wednesday, March 18th, and will remain in effect until further notice.

Not being able to attend Mass is very difficult spiritually since the Holy Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” As Catholics, we must do our part to help protect those who could be infected by the virus at public gatherings.

Please know that I and our priests will be praying fervently for you at our daily private celebrations of Mass. I encourage you to make an act of “spiritual communion,” especially on Sundays. Saint Thomas Aquinas defined “spiritual communion” as “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Holy Sacrament and a loving embrace as though we had already received Him.” You can use the following prayer from Saint Alphonsus Liguori to make a “spiritual communion”:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least into my heart. I embrace You as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Saint Teresa of Avila wrote: “When you cannot receive Communion and cannot attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you.”

I encourage you during this time to watch Holy Mass on television or the online Masses being live-streamed from many of our parishes, including a live-streamed Mass that I will be celebrating every Sunday at 10:00 AM. I also encourage you to reflect on the Sunday readings and to take time for personal and family prayer by reciting together the holy rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet or the Stations of the Cross.

As members of the Body of Christ, let us be united in our prayers for one another and especially for those here or abroad who are suffering from illness or have died from the virus infection. Let us also remember in our prayers the valiant doctors, nurses, and other health care workers who are working hard to bring healing to the sick as well as our priests and pastoral workers who are providing sacramental and pastoral care to the sick and dying.

In this time of “social isolation,” let us not be isolated in our hearts from those who need our love, care, and compassion. I am very edified by so many of our faithful who are bringing food to the elderly and staying in contact with those who may feel lonely, anxious, or depressed during this time. Thank you to all who are doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy in this Lenten season and offering assistance to those in need during this pandemic.

Jesus invites us, His disciples, to follow Him by taking up the cross. Not being able to attend Mass is a heavy cross, but one that we can carry with the help of the Lord. We are united in spirit with our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are also unable to attend Mass because of the pandemic and also with those who regularly cannot go to Mass because of sickness, persecution, or a shortage of priests. I hope and pray that this experience will deepen everyone’s desire to receive our Lord in the Eucharist, the great gift that we can too often take for granted.

Finally, let us implore our Blessed Mother, as the patroness of our diocese under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as well as Saint Matthew, our secondary patron, to intercede for us during this trial. Let us remember that Jesus is always with us and nothing can separate us from His love. Let us live in His love and spread His love in our community. May God bless you!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend

St. Augustine wrote that “My heart is restless until it rests in you O Lord.”

We often strive for money, power and praise without realizing that what we really desire is God, not a false idol. In the Gospels, a rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to share in eternal life. Jesus answered that he should give his wealth to the poor and follow Him. The man turned away because he was attached to his possessions and could not put others before them. Christ said: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” We all need self-discipline and the guidance of the Church to seek the will of God above all else. To become images of Christ in the fallen world, the Saints reject comfort and power in order to seek the good and follow Christ. Throughout history, rulers pursue success by expanding their power instead of putting the good of the people and the will of God before themselves. Then and now, it is rare for a ruler to reject an opportunity for power.

Prince Casimir of Poland was born in 1454. From a young age, Casimir devoted his energies more to prayer than to power. Could Casimir reject the temptations of the devil for power and glory as Christ did? In order to train his will, he wore a penitential hair shirt under his princely garments. Casimir prepared himself to seek holiness and the will of God before all else. Casimir’s father, the king, dreamed of making Poland the center of an empire by installing his six sons as monarchs on the thrones of central Europe. He conspired with Hungarian nobles to install his son as the king of Hungary. 

For the 15-year-old prince, this was his chance for power and fame. But was it the will of God? He was torn. In obedience to his father he led an army to the frontier. But his troops were deserting because they did not share his fathers’ ambitions and his officers advised against continuing the invasion. Pope Sixtus IV sent an embassy to deter the expedition and make peace. Casimir listened to the wisdom of the Church and turned back to avoid the war. He was convinced that he was following the will of God by making peace. The king was incensed at his son’s failure to seek worldly glory and exiled him from the royal court for a time. But Casimir saw the injustice of making war for power. 

As Christ said in the beatitudes: “Blessed and happy are the peacemakers, they shall be called sons of God.” Casimir saw that his father’s ambitions were not the will of God but were a false idol of power and fame. 

Casimir returned to his studies and prayers. He became viceroy in his father’s absence but would not marry or pursue a throne a throne of his own. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 23. By rejecting worldly power and putting the will of God before his ambitions, Casimir became an image of Christ, a living Gospel. St. Casimir was canonized and will always be known as the peacemaker. 

Uminski, Sigmund H. (1971). The Royal Prince. New   York: The Polish Publication Society of America.

Butler, Alban (1955). The Lives of Saints for Everyday in the Year.

https://youtu.be/Rw05iiTOlyY

The Rite of Sending was held on Sunday, March 1 during the 9:30 mass. We have 3 candidates for the sacraments of Confirmation and Communion, Max Crain, Anthony Starzynski and Steve Bueno, and one catechumen, Sergio Bueno, who will be Baptized, Confirmed and receive First Communion at the Easter Vigil. They were received by Bishop Rhoades during the Rite of Election at St. Matthew Cathedral that afternoon.  They will receive the sacraments during this coming Easter season.

Sundays (Domingo): 9:30 English, 11:15 Espanol

2nd & 4th Saturdays (Sabado): 4:00 English

Holy days: see events schedule below

4th Saturday (Sabado): 3:30-3:45 (English or Espanol)