4:30 pm John and Mary Bacha (Ed Bacha Family)

9:00 am Frances Koza (Diane and Bob Koperski)

11:00 am For the Parishioners

7:30 am Harold McGinnis (George and Linda)

7:30 am No Mass

7:30 am Communion Service

7:30 am Deceased Members of the Doty Family

(Gary, Mary Ann and Dana Schiavioni)

7:30 am Matilda Drews (Anniv) (Daughter, Chris)

4:30 pm Jack and Mary Ann Dempsey (Sloan Family)

9:00 am Ann Wolf (Edith Fox)

11:00 am Jean Wilson (Mary Ann Wieliczko)

Please note: $10,500.00 is needed weekly to pay our bills

Please keep in your prayers the sick and the homebound of our parish, Ellen Blados, L.C., Mary Cala, Maria Carriero, John Cegonko, Josephine Centrobi, Geraldine D’Amico, Eleanor Dembowski, Rita Downey, Dominic Fabrizio, Angelo Farace, Virginia Harley, John Husack, Jessica Kickham, Millie Kulchar, Doris Kostura, Rosemarie Lawrence, Don Lubecki, Elizabeth Miller, James Neitzel, Judith Nagorski, Stanley Novak, Josephine Radic, Clara Rocco, Doris Russo, Eleanor Sabo, Rachel Selvaggio, Jordyn Sansavera, Mark Szalek, Lisa Szymanski, Daniel Sholz, Nancy Thomspon, Julia Tomaselli, Jean Toth, Stanley Trojanowski, Michael Tustan, and Linda Yovanno.

And the recently deceased: Clara Rocco.

Many people used our certificate program to buy gifts for Christmas. We thank all of you for your support. Don’t forget, certificates are good all year round–for any gift-giving occasion–or to use for yourself. A restaurant certificate makes a great anniversary gift. Don’t know what kind of food someone would like–no problem. We now have a single gift certificate that works at many restaurants or other entertainment facilites. The same certificate works at the Winking Lizard or Swingo’s; Cooper’s Town or The Watermark; Blazin Bills or Lion & Lamb. Ask our certificate sellers to show you the list of restaurants, or go on line at www.simplycertificates.com. We also now have Cracker Barrel.

If you wish to receive a statement of your 2002 Contributions, please fill in the information below and drop it in the collection basket. Statements may be picked up at the Rectory on Thursdays. If you wish to have your statement mailed, please attach a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Name_____________________________________________

Address___________________________________________

City___________________________Zip Code____________

Envelope #__________________

Dear brothers and sisters,

Our Lenten call is to become more like Jesus in prayer and in action. We fast, we pray, we give alms to develop a heart like that of the Lord’s. Of course, the Holy Spirit must guide us in all things. Otherwise, we could mistakenly believe that we have taken the initiative to change our hearts and to increase our good works done as followers of Jesus. We know that God begins every good and grace-filled initiative and that we are respondents to grace.

What I write you about today is response. I hope that you are responding to God’s loving mercy by your Lenten penitential practices. I hope that you will participate in the services offered here at St. Martin of Tours and at our neighboring parishes. I hope you are planning to be part of the Vibrant Parish Life Mission here at St. Martin’s on March 30, 31, and April 1.

I hope that you are praying for the women and men who are trying in various ways to make the heart of our parish like the heart of Christ. Some of these groupings needing your prayers and support are the Parish Pastoral Council, the Parish Finance Council, the Vibrant Parish Life Committee, the Parish Staff, the Parish School Staff, the Fundraising groups, the PSR Staff, the Parish Choirs and all Liturgy and Worship Groups. This is not an exhaustive listing of parish groups; rather it is a listing of several of the essential groups of the parish. For these and other unnamed groups of the parish to thrive, they need the guidance of the Spirit and the prayerful support of each of us as members of St. Martin’s.

Prayerfully,

Fr. Jamie

A dozen married couples of St. Martin’s put on a spirit-filled and challenging Pre-Cana Day for twenty engaged couples last weekend at the Center for Pastoral Leadership. We can be very proud of the ministry and witness of the SMT team couples. We also encourage you to pray for the couples who are getting married soon.

You will be pleased if you take home the Lenten issue of The Word Among Us and read it. It is a fine spiritual resource with good articles and commentaries on the daily readings during Lent.

"The Mystery of the Cross" is the title of our Lenten Bible Study. The second session is on Wednesday, March 19, 7:00–8:15 pm in the school. Bibles are provided.

The Vibrant Parish Life Mission is only three weeks away. Circle the dates on your calendars for the evenings of March 30, 31, and April 1 for the Vibrant Parish Life Mission.

People from the neighboring parishes are welcome to attend and participate, especially since Fr. Foster of St. Wenceslas and Fr. Mahoney of St. Pius X will be presenters along with Fr. Mazanec. Fr. Mazanec will speak on Sunday the 30^th on "Church"; Fr. Foster on Monday the 31^st on "Eucharist"; and Fr. Mahoney on Tuesday the 1^st on "Mission." Pray for the Mission.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Lay Review Board for sexual abuse, you have until Thursday, March 20, 2003 to submit your application. Instructions for securing an application are posted on the Diocesan web site at www.dioceseofcleveland.org.

"We value a Christian community that is spiritually alive."

"A vibrant parish, alone or in collaboration with other parishes, must be able to offer religious education on all levels."

"We have always prized our Catholic schools. We deeply care about quality religious education programs such as our Parish Schools of Religion and youth ministries. These are places where so many of us have learned how our faith relates to all aspects of life and how the values of our faith must be integrated into our daily decisions."

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The Stations of the Cross take place in the Church at 7:00 pm this Friday. All are welcome.

8th Grade Celebrates Presidents!

Eighth grade students dressed up as presidents past and present, while giving presentations to the rest of the junior high students.  Each student gave a 3 to 5 minute speech  from the first person point of view discussing the president's childhood, adult life, and presidency.  Some of the presidents presented included George Washington, James Madison, Theodore Roosevelt, James A. Garfield, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush.  It was amazing to see the students go back in time and make these well-known men come to life!

Next month our schedule date is April 20, Easter Sunday. This is one of the hunger center’s annual big meals so our group will not be serving the meal that day. Our next meal will be May 18 (Team A).

A newly married man asked his wife, "Would you have married me if my father had not left me a fortune?" "Darling," the woman replied sweetly, "I would have married you no matter who left you a fortune!"

(from BEDFORD SENIORS MINI NEWS, December 1999)

Would you follow Jesus if there were no payoff, no fortune at the end of our life on earth? We ought to follow Jesus because it is the right thing to do. He showed his apostles his glory at his transfiguration so that they would know that all the suffering ahead would be worthwhile. The aches and pains of life are worthwhile because Jesus made them worthwhile. He carried the weight of our sins to the cross and through the cross into the life of glory, the life of the Resurrection.

Participating in the prayer service were: Cross Bearer, Isiah James IV, Candle Bearers, Acadia Jarzynski, Hanna Bergman, Nicole Hennen, Nathaniel Deka, and Ryan Taylor. Our readers were: faculty member, Mary Koliha, 8th Grader, Kirby Foote, 6th Grader, Melissa Surman, 5th Grader, Dana Schiavoni, 5th Grader, Heidi Mervar (standing in for her brother, Clay), and 4th grader, Kristopher Hoysak. Our music coordinator was volunteer, Chris Ruffo.

The wooden cross was made by Jim McCormick. The purple stole on the cross was made by Mary Koliha, and the intention cards were made by Bob Roch. Thanks to all!

There will be no PSR classes this week, March 18th, because of a faculty meeting. Classes will resume on March 25th.

The Holy Family Retreat (First Communion Retreat) is planned for Saturday, March 29 beginning at 9:00. Families should plan on arriving at 8:45 a.m. for registration.

On Lenten Wednesdays, Fr. Mahoney will teach a class focusing on the Gospel of Mark. The sessions will be on Wednesday evenings in St. Pius Banquet Hall and will begin at 7:00 pm and will always end before 8:30 pm. The study sessions will be on 3/26; 4/2 and 4/16. April 16^th will be the Wednesday of Holy Week and on that evening we will examine St. Mark’s presentation of the passion and the death of Jesus.

Fridays during lent:

Maple Hts. Knights of Columbus--#5106

15650 Friend Ave 4:00pm —7:00 pm

St. Wenceslas Church, 17825 Libby Rd

4:00 pm-6:30 pm

Holy Name Church, 8328 Broadway Ave

3:00 pm-8:00 pm

Holy Trinity Church, 24821 Columbus Rd

5:00 pm–7:00 pm

St. Monica Church, 13623 Rockside Rd

4:00 pm-7:00 pm

March 18 Heavenly Days (Visit 4 churches + lunch) $45.00

Call Dee Kriz at 216-663-7258 ALL ARE WELCOME!

A. To understand better what it means to be a Christian and how much joy there can be in being a member of a Christian community

To