Holy Week Schedule

Good Friday, April 19, 2019

12 noon service in English

6:30 pm service in Spanish

Holy Saturday, April 20, 2019

6 pm Easter Vigil

Blessing of the Water and the new Fire.

Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019

9am mass in English

12 noon mass in Spanish

Welcome to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Catholic Church

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Mission Statement

We are a community of worship on Sundays and weekdays, growing spiritually, supporting the gracefully aging parishioners in our community, while also preparing and offering to our children in catechism class the tools they will need to use in their daily lives. We focus on training future Religious Education teachers about the teachings and protection of our children, with emphasis on their protection.

We support people in recovery from alcoholism and drugs. We are helping our young families with wedding ceremonies and do a follow up to confirm or assist in their spiritual growth.

We reach out to the poor as instructed by Pope St. John Paul II in his encyclical Solicitudo Rei Socialis and we reflect the wishes and prayers of our current Pope Francis.

OLPH is one of 42 parishes and 17 missions within the Diocese of Santa Rosa. We are focused on getting to heaven and you are most welcome to join us on our journey there.

Good Friday

On the Friday of the Lord's Passion, the Church commemorates the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the sins of all mankind, at the same time the Passover lamb was being killed and prepared for consumption among the Jewish people. On this day the Church does not celebrate Mass. The main altar remains completely bare, and the Tabernacle is empty. It is at the 3 o'clock hour on Good Friday that Jesus expired on the Cross, His Divine Mercy being poured out on the whole world. At this hour the Christian faithful should observe a solemn and prayerful silence in memory of the hour in which our salvation was won at so great a price.

GOSPEL  FOR APRIL 14,  2019

The elders of the people, chief priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
"We found this man misleading our people; 
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar 
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king."
Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, 
"I find this man not guilty."
But they were adamant and said, 
"He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here."

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; 
and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus; 
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him 
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb, 
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, 
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people 
and said to them, "You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence 
and have not found this man guilty 
of the charges you have brought against him, 
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."

But all together they shouted out, 
"Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us."
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion 
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
"Crucify him!  Crucify him!"
Pilate addressed them a third time,
"What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him."
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, 
who was coming in from the country; 
and after laying the cross on him, 
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, 
including many women who
mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said, 
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children 
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 
'Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.'
At that time people will say to the mountains,
'Fall upon us!'
and to the hills, 'Cover us!'
for if these things are done
when the wood is green 
what will happen when it is dry?"
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull, 
they crucified him and the criminals there, 
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched; 
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, 
"He saved others, let him save himself 
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God."
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above him there was an inscription that read, 
"This is the King of the Jews."

Now one of the criminals hanging
there reviled Jesus, saying,
"Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us."
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
"Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, 
but this man has done nothing criminal."
Then he said,
"Jesus, remember me when y
ou come into your kingdom."
He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you, 
today you will be with me in Paradise."

It was now about noon and darkness
came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; 
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had
happened glorified God and said,
"This man was innocent beyond doubt."
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle
saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, 
including the women who had followed him from Galilee 
and saw these events.
 

PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR THE HOLY FATHER

• Prayer for the Holy Father
   

  Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant, Pope Francis, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy loving kindness, in the way of eternal salvation; that, of thy gift, he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

   

   

Here is the link where you can find the digital booklet containing pictures of Pope Francis in celebration of his first year: Click here.

Other links of interest:

Vatican Information Services

Vatican News Online

Vatican on YouTube