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First Five Saturday Devotions – Fatima

April 29, 2022 By admin

Monsignor Pope is encouraging parishioners to commit to First Saturday devotions from April thru August. At the heart of this devotion is the Request of Our Lady, Mary, that we pray for the conversion of sinners and peace in the world. Your commitment involves attending 8am Mass in the church on the first Saturday of five consecutive months which began April 2^nd. This Saturday July 2^nd at 8am will be our fourth observance. Your commitment also includes praying the rosary communally after that Mass and going to confession within the first week of each month.

The History of the Five First Saturday’s of the Month

On the 13th May 1917, Our Lady first mentioned devotion to her Immaculate Heart to the children of Fatima saying “You have seen hell, where souls of poor sinners go. To save them God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.”

On the 10th December 1925, Our Lady appeared to Lucia detailing how devotion to her Immaculate Heart was to be practiced. These words are from Sr Lucia’s own account:

“… by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was a child. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on her shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child said:

“Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them.”

Then the most holy Virgin said:

“Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”

Welcome Back to Mass

March 7, 2022 By admin

“For where two or three gather in my name, there
am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20

PRAISE GOD and WELCOME BACK!
Our church is open for public Mass with unlimited capacity.

Many policies and mandates have been updated by the D.C. government as of March 1, 2022. In regards to our church and under the guidance of the Archdiocese of Washington and local D.C. health officials, our parish will offer the following safety protocols and polices:

NEW MASK MANDATE UPDATE (as of March 1, 2022) – D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has rescinded the local D.C. area indoor mask mandate for most indoor locations. A person attending Mass or other event at our church does not have to wear a mask when attending whether you are fully vaccinated or not. Of course, you are free to wear a mask if you choose.

THE FOLLOWING POLICIES HAVE NOT CHANGED AND WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:
In regards to the distribution of Holy Communion, our ministers of Holy Communion will continue to wear a mask and regularly purify their fingers with alcohol for your safety.
The distribution of the Precious Blood (wine) remains suspended until further notice.
Automatic hand sanitizer units are available at the front entrance of the church.
In the sanctuary, you will notice that every other pew remains roped-off. This will allow for parishioners to continue to social distance at their will. We will open additional pews as necessary to accommodate increasing attendance.
And, if you are feeling ill or have COVID-like symptoms, it is best that you remain at home until you are more certain of your health situation.

We realize that some are still concerned about COVID-19 and the lowering of restrictions may cause additional concerns. NOTE: The 8:00am Mass on Sundays has been designated as MASK-ONLY. Until further notice, we ask anyone attending the 8:00am Mass on Sunday to wear a face mask and keep it on during the liturgy. Another thing to consider is that most of our Masses do not feature a large crowd and there is plenty of room in our spacious church. The 11:00 am Mass is rather full, thanks be to God. However, other Masses such as the 4:30 pm on Saturday, and the 8:00 am, 9:30 am and 7:00 pm Masses on Sunday permit greater space to spread out. If this might lessen your concerns as restrictions drop, please consider attending the 8:00am Mass or the other ones that are less attended.

Finally, as is always proper, we must all exhibit mutual charity regarding personal choices to wear masks or not and how to interact with others. We’ve all been through a lot, and patience and understanding go a long way to restoring calm and an experience of safety. Please know of our love and concern for you as well as our desire to see you each Sunday. We pray all will be back soon and rejoice in the weekly reunions already underway. God bless you.

Our regular weekday and weekend Masses are held in the main sanctuary. The schedule is as follows :

Monday-Friday: 7:00am
Saturday: 8:00am
Saturday: 4:30am (vigil Mass)
Sunday: 8:00am (MASK REQUIRED), 9:30am; 11:00am; and 7:00pm

Confession will be heard 1/2 hour prior to each Mass in the confessionals.

NOTE: If you feel sick/ill or have a fever, please DO NOT come to Mass for the safety of yourself and others.

TELEVISED/RECORDED MASS

1. Msgr. Charles Pope records his Sunday mass homily (audio) for each week. It is distributed via Flocknote and is available on his website at msgrpope.com. Sign up at FlockNote to receive it automatically via email each week.

2. You are also invited to view the Archdiocese of Washington Sunday Mass on TV (filmed in the Crypt Church of the National Shrine) which airs every Sunday at 10:30AM on WDCW-50:

No cable: Dish or Direct TV subscribes: Ch. 50
Comcast: Ch 23 in Washington, DC and Montgomery County;
Ch. 3 in Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland
RCN: Ch. 15
Verizon: Ch. 3
**************************************************

Thank you and May God bless and keep you safe during these difficult and challenging times in our world. We are so looking forward to welcoming all of you back to the liturgy and to our parish home. We are very grateful for your patience.

HCSC RECTORY OFFICE & ADMINISTRATION

For your safety and the safety of our staff and clergy, our rectory office continues to operate on a limited schedule. We kindly ask you to wear a face mask/covering when visiting the office. If you forget, we have extras. Current office hours are:

Monday-Wednesday: 10AM-6PM
Friday: 10AM-6PM

Please contact the office staff for sick calls, funerals, weddings, baptisms and other sacramental needs at 202-546-1885 or hcscstaff@hcscchurch.org.

NOTE: We have votive candles, holy water bottles and other religious items available in the rectory office since our church store has limited availability. We kindly ask you to call us prior to coming so we can prepare your purchase.
Thank you.

TITHING

This is a very difficult time for everyone both spiritually and financially. If you are able to provide your tithes, please know that you can submit it electronically and securely through Faith Direct. Click this link or call 1-866-507-8757 to begin eGiving or to make a one-time donation.

If you are unable to use electronic tithing, you are welcome to mail to:
1357 E. Capitol St., SE, WDC, 20003
or drop off at the rectory office.
We are so grateful for your continued support and generosity.

COMMUNICATION AT OUR PARISH

Check this website frequently for updates and stay in touch via our parish social media (MyParishApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube).

Our parish has a mobile app called MyParishApp which is an easy way to send you notifications on your mobile device. Visit your app store (available for android & Apple phones) and download it to your mobile device. Make sure you turn on your notifications after you download so you can receive updates.

Our parish is also using an online communication tool called FLOCKNOTE to send email messages to those who subscribe. Flocknote allows you to choose the news you want, and direct access to manage your FREE subscription. Text HCSC to 84576 or visit https://hcscchurch.flocknote.com/ to receive emails with updates from the parish. If you have not done so, subscribe and stay connected.

Pilgrimage to The Holy Land 2022

October 11, 2021 By admin

Join the Parish of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church and Msgr. Charles Pope on an 10-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land from November 8-17, 2022. Cost covers roundtrip air from Washington, D.C., select hotels, breakfast & dinner daily, comprehensive sightseeing with a professional English-speaking local guide, entrance fees, porterage, hotel taxes and service charges.

Questions: Contact Debbie Vanzego at 202-277-1823 or dvanzego@cohenmilstein.com.

Click here for Holy Land Pilgrimage 2022 cost and information

HCSC Bible Studies

November 13, 2020 By admin

JOIN OUR CLERGY AS THEY HOST OUR WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES ONLINE ( via Zoom and in-person)

MONDAY EVENING YOUNG ADULT BIBLE STUDY – begins at 7:30PM every Monday. This bible study was created for young adults from ages 18 to late 30’s and provides an environment for both catechesis and fellowship of our young adults. This bible study is held in-person in the rectory basement. A brief social gathering is usually held prior to the bible study at 7:00pm with light snacks. We kindly ask you to register if you are attending.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY – is held via Zoom and begins at 7:15PM every Wednesday. This is the original weekly bible study created for all ages and is only held online. Msgr. Pope is the facilitator.

Our bible studies are interactive and inspiring. They allow the participant and the facilitator to break open the word of God together at a pace that allows you to absorb and comprehend God’s word and how it works in your every day life. Scripture is vital to our relationship with God and each other. Take the opportunity to tune it and see how God’s will will inspire you. These studies are for those who are either new to bible study or experienced.

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE IN THE BIBLE STUDY?

Due to current COVID-19 pandemic protocols, our bible studies are offered via Zoom or in-person (for Young Adult Bible Study ONLY). To participate via Zoom, you will need a computer, tablet or cellphone.

The adult Wednesday Night Bible Study is ONLY online via Zoom. On the day of the bible study you will receive via email a Zoom link via Flocknote. In order to receive the Zoom link, you will need to subscribe to the bible study of your choice on Flocknote at hcscchurch.flocknote.com.

The Young Adult Bible Study held on Mondays is ONLY in-person (No Zoom) in the rectory basement (enter through side door to the right of the building). A small social gathering is usually held at 7:00pm prior to the bible study. We kindly ask you to register to receive notifications via Flocknote by selecting the Young Adult Bible Study when you register.

Flocknote is FREE and allows you to manage what communications you receive from our parish. You can create your login and subscribe to the bible study of your choice. You manage your own account and can unsubscribe or delete your account at any time.

If you still have questions, contact the rectory office at
202-546-1885 or hcscstaff@hcscchurch.org.

First Friday Holy Hour

June 21, 2019 By admin

Every Friday, our parish holds a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration in the Church.

This is a devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration is a sign of devotion to and worship of Jesus Christ, who we believe to be present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, under the appearance of the consecrated host. As a devotion, Eucharistic adoration and meditation are more than merely looking at the Blessed Host, but are believed to be a continuation of what was celebrated in the Eucharist.

The inspiration for the Holy Hour is Matthew 26:40. In the Gospel of Matthew, during the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke to his disciples, saying “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38) Returning to the disciples after prayer, he found them asleep and in Matthew 26:40 he asked Peter:

“So, could you men not keep watch with me for an hour?”.

All are welcome to come and spend time with the Lord in prayer. Bring your bible or other devotional prayers if you like.

A priest is available during the Holy Hour to hear confessions.

Resources: 12 Reasons to spend a holy hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament (Catholic News Agency)