Purple is now the color in the church for the season of Lent.  The color purple is a symbol of penance. The Scriptures tell us that a purple garment was placed on Jesus during his passion as a mockery. It is fitting that the color be maintained during the days in which we focus on our own reality of sin in our lives.  The color purple and the days of penance themselves will eventually give way to the color white and the celebration of Christ’s victory over sin on Easter.

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Through the observance of Lent, O Lord,  
You purify your Church every year. 
See to it that your children lead a better life 
and so obtain the graces they are striving to acquire by doing acts of sacrifice, prayer and penance. 
This we ask of you through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. 
AMEN


✙ Gracious God, please pour your love upon those who have asked to be remembered in our prayers:
Lester Esparza -  Father of Hope Eder. May God be with him and give him comfort, strength and peace during his illness. 
Martin Addison – DPD volunteer, for renewed health in body and spirit
Bruce Schreyer – resident of the Giuliano House.  For renewed health and strength.
Larry Hanlon – father of John of the Basile apartments.  We pray for a return to health.  May he know the love of Our Lord.
Jackson James Kobeszko – Newborn son of volunteer Stacy.  May God guard and protect him as he grows strong enough to go home to his loving parents.
Emma and Josh - My daughter who is experiencing complications from brain surgery and my son who needs a procedure to correct a recently diagnosed heart problem.  May God bless them with a return to health and no more complications.
Tyler Smith – A young man with a wife and small child. He has very serious heart complications. May God bless him with healing.
George Crossen – Resident of the Giuliano House for a return to health.
Christian Lavorgna – Son of CARE volunteer Ed Lavorgna .  May he regain strength and health
Sandy Rybka – Friend of volunteer Anna Philhower,  for strength and healing as she battles with pancreatic cancer
Daniel Healy – For healing
Charlie Raab & Jim Daugherty - Heavenly Father May You place Your Healing Hands upon our brothers who both have throat cancer.
Jean Craig – wife of volunteer Bob Craig, as she regains strength and health.
Patnala Jesuraju – During these difficult times.  May God come to her assistance and provide comfort.
Robert Konowich – Uncle of Jake Ferguson.  We pray for your healing hand to rest upon Robert and bring him back to wholeness and strength. We pray this with gratitude for protecting his life.
Jean Williams -  Mother of Gruenert staff member Lisa Beasley. May the Lord give her strength in body, courage in spirit, and patience in suffering.
Jimmy Feehan - Brother of Julie Tatti.  For strength and courage as he deals with cancer.  May God’s healing presence surround him.
Clement - grant him the grace and strength to accept the burden of cancer.
Chris Androski - husband of Barnet House volunteer Nina. That his ear is healed and he gets his hearing back.
James Ondimu Ochoki – For healing for this beloved father, grandfather, father in-law, brother in-law, and uncle to many.
Lucy Cox- May the Lord grant consolation and recovery to health.
Wally Camacho  - May the love of God, family and friends sustain him as he undergoes dialysis 3 days a week.
Anthony - a young man of 23 whose lungs are not in good condition, may God draw him near as his final hours approach and for comfort for his loving family.
For peace, justice and hope in our world.
May God bless our staff, residents, friends, volunteers and benefactors. 
May he turn his face toward you and give you peace.
 
Emily Goutremout – Friend of DPD
Donald Peseski – One of the original residents of the DPD
Stephen Iannacone – Father of Gruenert Center Staff Christina Brown
Rev. Msgr. Patrick Brown – May he know Christ’s peace.
Mary Maragret Teresinski – Longtime friend of DPD
John Vermeulen – Father of Gruenert staff Kathy

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✙ March 7  – Saints Perpetua and Felicity – Died 203 A.D.
Saints Perpetua and Felicity were martyrs who died for the faith. Saint Perpetua was a young, well-educated, noblewoman and mother living in the city of Carthage in North Africa. Her mother was a Christian and her father was a pagan. In terms of her faith, Perpetua followed the example of her mother. Despite the pleas of her father to deny her faith, Perpetua did the very opposite, and fearlessly proclaimed it. At the age of 22, she was imprisoned for her faith. While in prison she continued to care for her infant child and put up with the tortures designed to make her renounce her faith. Perpetua remained steadfast until the end. St. Perpetua was sacrificed at the games as a public spectacle for not renouncing her faith.
St. Felicity was a pregnant slave girl who was imprisoned with St. Perpetua. Little is known about the life of St. Felicity because, unlike Perpetua, she did not keep a diary of her life. After imprisonment and torture, Felicity was also condemned to die at the games. Only a few days before her execution, Felicity gave birth to a daughter who was secretly taken away to be cared for by some of the faithful. Saints Perpetua and Felicity, watch over all mothers and children who are separated from each other because of  war or persecution as well as a special care to mothers who are imprisoned.
✙ March 12 – Saint Seraphina – PATRON SAINT OF DISABILITIES - Died 12 53
Seraphina was born in a little Italian town called San Geminiano, Tuscany. Her parents had once been rich, but difficult times had made them poor. Seraphina, or Fina, as her family affectionately called her, was their pretty and lively daughter who had a generous nature. When she was still quite young, her father died. Soon after, Fina was struck with an illness that deformed and paralyzed her. She found it very painful to move and had to be carried everywhere on a board. Fina lay for six years on wooden planks.
Fina was left alone for many hours every day because her mother had to go out to work or beg. The neighbors knew about Fina, but her sores smelled so bad that people made excuses not to go and visit her. Then suddenly, Fina's mother also died and she was left alone. She had heard of the terrible sufferings St. Gregory the Great had to undergo during his life. Fina became devoted to him and although she did not join the order, she lived the rest of her life following the Benedictine rule. One day, as she groaned in pain, St. Gregory appeared to her. He said kindly, "Child, on my feast day God will grant you rest." And as promised, on March 12, 1253, St. Gregory came to take Fina home to heaven. During the time when Fina's body was laid out in the church on the same wooden board she had laid for years, many miracles happened.  When Fina's body was removed from the oak board, beautiful saw white violets, which gave off a wonderful perfume, grew out of the board where she had lain.   Many people were cured during this time; crippled people could again use their arms and legs, and those with palsy were cured and made whole.   
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