February 5, 2023

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

by Fr. Boniface Endorf, O.P.

Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,

Erin O’Kane, our parish secretary for the past four years, is moving on as she completes her master’s degree. We wish her well in her future service to the Church. However, we  need to hire a new parish secretary. If you know anyone who may be interested in the position please refer that person to the parish.

Mass Tidbit:

After setting up the altar, the priest then walks in front of the altar as the people bring up the bread and wine. Usually, the ushers select people to do so before mass—if you ever want to bring up the gifts let the usher know before mass. As the approach the altar, the priest bows to the people bringing up the gifts, then takes the wine and hands it to one of the servers, and finally takes the ciborium (the silver container that holds the bread) and carries it back to the altar. 

The priest then offers the bread to God. The priest prays over the bread, usually softly because the offertory hymn is being sung at this point. He prays: “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.” We are offering to God what He has given us—the wheat used to make the bread is a gift of God’s creation, which we make into bread and then offer back to Him. Everything we have comes from God, and as we offer it back to God it becomes so much more, as the bread will become the Body of Christ Himself.

God Bless,

Fr. Boniface