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Our Lady of Fatima Parish is accepting applications for the position of bookkeeper for the parish and the school, and is also accepting applications for a part-time secretary/receptionist to work in the parish office. Applications for these positions may be submitted at the Parish Office to the attention of Fr. Schultz.

Everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike, is familiar with the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In other words, treat others in the way that you, yourself, would like to be treated. We can all agree that this is very reasonable and practical, and makes good sense. Even Jesus seems to endorse it! But as we hear in today’s Gospel (John 13:31-33a, 34-35), Jesus is never one for simply minimums or convenient half-measures. He always calls us to a higher standard or way of thinking – one that exceeds human expectations and aligns itself with the ways of God.

Our Lady of Fatima School Promotion will take place on Wednesday, May 22. Mass at 6:00 PM. Congratulations to the Eighth Grade Class as they move on to High School. Angelina Abigail Acosta, Rebekah Marie Carpenter, Alegria Abelina Lackey, Elizabeth Marie Núñez. May God bless the Class of 2019!

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is commonly referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” No matter which liturgical cycle we are in, the Gospel will always be about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, and the accompanying readings relate to this as well. So great is our Good Shepherd that he knows each of us by name and gives us eternal life.

I would imagine that most of us have had at least one experience in which we were deeply hurt by another person – perhaps by someone we cared for very much. Our emotions can be very powerful at such a time and we can be consumed with feelings of hostility and resentment. If the hurt is deep enough, we may be tempted to give up on the relationship and avoid that person altogether, stubbornly refusing even the slightest move toward reconciliation, and speaking badly about the person to anyone else who will listen.

Monday, May 13th is celebrated by the Catholic Church as the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima. It marks the first day in 1917 on which the Blessed Mother appeared to the three shepherd children of Fatima in Portugal. As our parish is dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima, we will celebrate a Feast Mass at 5:30 PM on Monday, May 13, 2019.

Come and pray the rosary with us every Monday through Friday in May at 4:00 PM in the Church. Everyone is Welcome.

The third-grade students from Our Lady of Fatima School and the CCD program for public school students will be receiving First Holy Communion at the 12:00 noon Mass on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

The eligible youth of our parish in 9th through 12th grades will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation at the 10:00 AM Mass on Sunday, May 26, 2019.

Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. It is a Feast Day formally established by Pope St. John Paul II. According to private revelations that she recorded in her diary, St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, reported that Jesus had appeared to her on several occasions. He called for a Feast of Mercy to be observed on the Second Sunday of Easter and said that this Feast of Mercy would be a very special day when “all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened” (St. Faustina’s Diary, 699). Our Lord made a great promise to all those souls who would go to Confession and then receive Him in Holy Communion on the Feast of His Mercy, now called Divine Mercy Sunday, throughout the Catholic Church. Jesus promised that “The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.” (St. Faustina’s Diary, 699)

Birthright of Albuquerque will have their Annual Carnation Fundraiser on Mother's Day after all Masses. Saturday, May 11th at 5:30 PM and Sunday May 12th at all Masses. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please mail it to: Birthright of Albuquerque, P.O. Box 36749, Albuquerque, NM 87176-6749, or you can call 505-262-2235.

We have a number of parishioners who are not able to attend Mass due to age or illness and would like to receive the Eucharist. If you can spare as little as an hour a week we would love to have you join our group of ministers. Please call the parish office at 265-5868 for more information.

Christ is Risen! Indeed He has Risen! This proclamation, spoken since the first Easter, reminds us of what this day – the Feast of the Resurrection – is truly all about. In our modern world, Easter is often seen as a one-day event of bunnies, candy, pastel colored eggs, and a sumptuous family meal. But these things alone really miss the significance that this day truly holds.

Holy Week begins today and we should enter this week with reverence, enthusiastically embracing the rituals associated with it. To celebrate Holy Week is, after all, to celebrate who we have become through Christ’s Paschal Mystery. I hope that throughout the season of Lent you have prayed, fasted, and performed works of charity. Lent ends with the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.

Open registration for Our Lady of Fatima School 2019-2020 school year is underway. Please contact our principal, Ms. Melinda Mader for more information about Our Lady of Fatima School and to arrange a personalized visit. The school office may be reached at 255-6391.

A Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by the Holy Name Society, will take place after the 10 AM Mass on Easter Sunday. Children ages 1-5 meet on the West side of the church near the water fountain in the St. Anthony Meditation Garden, and children ages 6-10 meet on the East side of the church at the grotto of Our Lady of Fatima.

Like the prophets who preceded him, Jesus’ life and ministry was tied to the Temple in Jerusalem. It was there that he was presented by Mary and Joseph as an infant. It was there that he held the priests and scribes spellbound at the age of twelve. It was there, as an adult, that his ministry was centered, especially during the week leading up to his passion.

Abby Johnson becomes the youngest clinic director in the history of Planned Parenthood, then a life-changing experience turns her into an anti-abortion activist.

Today’s Gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) contains the parable of the prodigal son, and it highlights the essential elements of what true forgiveness and reconciliation is all about. In the parable, a man has two sons. One decides to ask for his inheritance, leave home, and have a great time. When all has been spent and he has nothing left, he decides to go back home and beg for forgiveness. The twist in the story is that his father welcomes him back instantly, not caring about what or how he lost everything. In fact, he does not even wait for the son to get back into the house; he goes out to him, welcomes him back, and celebrates his return.

The Madrigal Singers of Albuquerque will perform a free Spring Concert in the church at 2:30 PM on Sunday, April 28th. All are welcome to attend.