Letter from the Pastor
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February 14, 2021
Happy St. Valentine’s Day to all our loving couples! Ancient sources reveal that there were several St. Valentines who died on or around February 14th. Two of them were martyred during the reign of Emperor Claudius Gothicus in 269-270 A.D. Nothing else is known of
St. Valentine except he was a priest. Over the centuries legends were told of him as passing love notes from the outside to his fellow prisoners, another legend he was arrested for witnessing outlawed marriages. Because he was a martyr, the vestment for his Mass is red, so red became the color of Valentine’s Day.
So how did a martyr’s feast day become a day for lovers? We can thank an Englishman.
Geoffrey Chaucer, author of “The Canterbury Tales” linked the feast of St. Valentine to the mating of birds:
“For this was on seynt Volantynys day. Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.
” (For this was on St. Valentine’s Day. When every bird comes there to chose his mate.) --“Parlement of Foules”:
In the following centuries, Englishmen and women began using February 14th as an excuse to pen love-notes and poetry to their loved ones. Then, industrialization made it easier with mass-produced illustrated cards adorned with flowery poetry. (145 million cards were sold last year) Then along came candy-marketing, “sweets for one’s sweet.” Don’t forget the candy: $2.4 billion spent on candy, with 58 million tons of chocolate bought and presumed eaten!
It is a good thing that in three days, it will be…
…ASH WEDNESDAY
This Wednesday begins the holy and penitential Season of Lent. Traditionally, we mark our heads with ashes to signal a time of repentance and penance. Originally, ashes were simply strewn over the top of one’s head. In certain European countries, that is still the way one marks Ash Wednesday with ashes sprinkled over the bowed head.
So how did that cross of ash appear on the forehead? Like most things, it has a very interesting history.
People would come to church to receive ashes with a blessing as a penitential sign. The men would have the ashes sprinkled over their heads. Women when they went into church had to have their heads covered, as a sign of respect for women. Since their heads were covered, the priest couldn’t place the ash on the veil, instead women received their ashes marked on their foreheads. Over the years, the custom of marking the foreheads became the more popular way of receiving ashes.
However, in this time of COVID-19, the distribution of ashes will be a bit different. At the Masses, and other Liturgy of the Word ceremonies (Schedule included in bulletin), the ashes will be blessed, and the formula will be pronounced only once over the congregation. Then those who wish to receive ashes, keeping safe distance, wearing their masks and the ashes will be imposed on their forehead in silence.
Those who wish to have the ashes just sprinkled over their heads, please tell the priest as you approach him in line. There will be ashes available to bring to the homebound. The leftover ashes you can put into the dirt.
Christmas Collection
I wish to thank all of our very dedicated and loving parishioners who contributed to the Christmas Collection. I know that some of you have lost your jobs, or had to take pay cuts, yet with all the differences this year makes, our collection was only down by $7914 from last year. This year’s Christmas collection was $62,392.
God bless your generosity and your love for your parish.
