Please remember to read this whole email for all upcoming events and information.

No family envelope will go home this week.

Please look at the After School Programs and sign up if interested. We need more students to have some of these programs.

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Holy Week Mass Schedule

April 9 - Palm Sunday

April 12 - Parish Reconciliation Service at 7PM

April 13 - Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Last Supper at 7PM

April 14 - Good Friday, Stations of the Cross at 2:30PM & Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ at 3PM

April 15 - Easter Vigil Mass at 8PM

April 16 - Easter Sunday Mass at 8:30AM, 10:30AM & 12:30PM

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Dear Friends,

Little Johnny was not doing well in school. His parents decided to send him to a Catholic school. At the end of the year Johnny came out at the top of his class. His parents were surprised at this dramatic turn of events. “What made the difference Johnny?” his parents asked him. “You see, on the first day when I walked into the school I saw a guy hanging on the cross. I knew right away that teachers are serious. So I decided not to take any chances.”

We are in the final stage of our journey. The holiest week of the year, the week of salvation. The week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is Holy Week. During these days we commemorate the foundational history of our salvation which transformed human destiny. We witness the institution of the Priesthood, Eucharist, ministry as well as the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Let us meditate and reflect on each of these in these days of salvation.

On Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, people crowned Jesus with kingship. They spread their cloaks on the road, waved olive branches, and sang “Hosanna” to Jesus on His journey to Jerusalem. This excitement and human praise did not last long. Four days later the same throngs that hailed him failed him. They shouted, “Crucify him.” The praise and glory of human hearts emerged from a calculated mind and a selfish goal. Human behavior changes sometimes according to the mood of the mob. The glory based selfish motives and conveniences did not last. The glory that world offered to Jesus was that of selfishness. It collapsed like a house on sand. Palm Sunday reflects this reality.

During the days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday we are reminded of this selfishness of the human mind. People moved away from Jesus and with the leaders accepted the untruth in order to reject the truth. Jesus did not live up to their expectations. They crucified Jesus. The glory they offered to Jesus was not the one God the Father offered to Jesus, the Son of God. It was the way of suffering for the salvation of humanity.

On Easter Sunday we witness to a new Glory, the glory God offers. God exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. This eternal Glory resulted from Jesus’ unfailing commitment to the will of God. Jesus resurrected from the dead. He returns with Glory to love and bless us.

Let us join with Jesus and complete our salvific Journey. The sufferings of Jesus should not deter us from following Him who loves us and wants us to stay with Him. Let us give time to accept the Blessing during these days of salvation. It will lead us to Easter Joy.

I keep you all in my prayers at this Holy time of grace. Let us together grow in. I wish you all the best this Holy Week.

Your Fr. Benny

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PE BBQ PRIZE RAFFLE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!

Please support this wonderful event by donating a prize today!

We would love to have items for all ages! We are happy to accept
toys, sports equipment, gift cards, Disneyland tickets,
Universal Studios tickets, Dodger tickets, electronics (iPad, iPod, laptop,
camera, headphones, etc.) and anything else you can come up with.

Get a jump start on your 2017-2018 PSA Hours by donating a prize or two!
All donations earn one hour for each $25 in value.

Please drop all donations off to Mr. Orlando in the PE Office or to Mrs. Janet Ward in
the Kindergarten classroom. Please include your name and the value of your donation
with your items so your PSA Hours can be approved once submitted.

Thank you so much for your support and generosity!

Willy Wonka Kids Kompany Play

Please join us for Willy Wonka
April 6, 7 & 8 at 7PM
April 8 at 1PM

Attention Every St. Francis Xavier Student

You are invited to sing the opening and closing songs at this weekend’s 10:30 Mass. This is a great way to get involved at church and share one of your many talents. All students have been practicing with Mrs. Raymundo during music class. Please arrive a little early to Mass and see Mrs. Cranston in the choir area. After the first song students will sit with their family. Mrs. Cranston will then call them up to sing the last song.
Please try to come. We are really excited to start this new tradition.

Final Archery Class of the Year!!!!

I would like to personally like to invite you to join Mrs. Smith and I for our final archery class this year. That’s right! Mrs. Smith is going join us on April 15th. Space is limited. Please send me an email to register.
This event will take place in Lower Arroyo Park in Pasadena and is organized by the Pasadena Roving Archers. The times are from 12:00 - 2:30pm. This costs $25 per participant and includes all instruction and equipment. Parents you are more than welcome to participate with your children. If you have any questions or if you are interested please send an email to theprezsfx@gmail.com and let me know who will be participating and for which date.
Thanks once again for everything you do,
Bill Wickersheim – PTO President