Thursday- Who are the Apostles Part II?

This Thursday we are continuing our Apostles series by talking about St. Thomas, Philip, Bartholomew, James the Lesser, Matthew, and Andrew. If you missed last week then you missed a great discussion on St. John, James the Greater and St. Jude, but don't worry because this Thursday will be great. We will discuss the history and personalities behind the Apostles. Who are they? Where are they from? What makes them so important for Jesus to pick them? How did they die? Can you name them all?

Tomorrow is the last day to vote on the two Emmaus Polls. If you have not voted please do. The polls help the core team figure out what is interesting to Young Adults. http://emmauscya.blogspot.com/

In Christ,
Sean (john6bb@yahoo.com)
and the Emmaus Core Team (David, Andrea, Jennifer, and Peggy)

This Weekend- Music and Dancing

This weekend: StorySide:B is performing from 7:30pm-10pm Friday evening at the Cathedral Festival (at the Mission Grounds in St. Augustine). The band has actually gone their separate ways after the passing of their bass player, Ron, back in January. But let me tell you, lead singer, Lu and his new fellow musician sound great, playing the songs of StorySide:B. Come out and support a fellow Catholic young adult musician :) Admission to the festival is $5.

And for all you Latin dancing lovers!!!!!! !!Saturday evening hosts Latin Impact, beginning at 7:30pm, and ending with the fireworks at 9pm. This band is awesome!!!! You'll get at workout dancing....or you can sit and relax with friends enjoying the music of this very talented group.

I will probably go down to St. Aug on Sat for the Salsa dancing so if you want to carpool e-mail me at john6bb@yahoo.com or send an e-mail to the Emmaus yahoo group to see if you can carpool with someone emmauscya@yahoogroups.com .
Sean
http://emmauscya.blogspot.com

Thursday-Who are the Apostles?

This Thursday we are starting our Apostles series. In this series we will discuss the history and personalities behind the Apostles. Who are they? Where are they from? What makes them so important for Jesus to pick them? How did they die? Can you name them all?

This week David will discuss the Apostle John, Peggy will talk about James the Greater, and Andrea will talk about St. Jude. Bring your bibles this week.

Also this week you will be able to choose if you want to talk about some of the other Apostles for next week. Start thinking about which Apostle you would like to talk about. You can choose out of the following: Thomas, Philip, Bartholomew, James the Lesser, Matthew, and Andrew. To give a talk you can draw information from the bible and the Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/). Keep the talk to 7 min. so we can fit everyone in.

In Christ,
Sean and the Emmaus Core Team (David, Andrea, Jennifer, and Peggy)

Don't forget to vote on the two polls on the website!
http://emmauscya.blogspot.com/

Wishing a Blessed Marriage to the Sidrys's

Congratulations to Emmaus members Rimas and now Sarah Sidrys on their entrance into the Holy Sacrament of Marriage! May the Lord Bless you both now and forever!

In Christ,
Emmaus Core Team and Members
http://emmauscya.blogspot.com

Mass Wednesday- Pray for Emmaus

I encourage everyone to attend Mass this Wednesday and offer up your Mass for the Emmaus Catholic Young Adult group. This Wednesday we will read the story of Emmaus at Mass. Let all young adults, especially the Emmaus young Adults unite our prayers and together petition our Lord to bless Emmaus, the Core Team, and its members. Let us pray for vocations to Marriage and Priestly or Religious orders from Emmaus. Flood the heavens with prayers.

Mass Times:
Holy Family - 7:15AM
IC - 7:30 AM and 12:10PM
St. Josephs - 8:00AM
Blessed Trinity - 7:00 PM

In Christ, Sean, David, Andrea, Jennifer, and Peggy (Core Team of Emmaus)
http://emmauscya.blogspot.com

Resurrection Thursday!! Special Emmaus

Special Emmaus Thursday: This Thursday we will be celebrating Easter together with a bible study on the Resurrection of Jesus and the story of Emmaus. This Thursday is special because it is Emmaus' birthday so we will have pizza and cake during the bible study. We will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, Emmaus' birthday, and those birthday's in April.

I encourage everyone to read ahead in the bible about the resurrection of Jesus and the story of Emmaus. Bring questions or insights to share. Also please bring some money for the pizza, soda, and cake. I hope everyone who is part of Emmaus can come.

Also please take the time to answer the two Emmaus Poll's at the bottom of the last post. I need your input. http://emmauscya.blogspot.com

Sean - john6bb@yahoo.com
and the Emmaus Core Team

Happy Easter!! He is Risen!!

Christ Jesus has risen and conquered sin and death!!!

Wishing you a Happy Easter!!!

Emmaus Core Team
Sean, David, Jennifer, Peggy, Andrea
http://emmauscya.blogspot.com

Start the Divine Mercy Novena Today

Today the Church begins the 9 day novena prayer ending on Divine Mercy Sunday (next weekend).

http://www.fisheaters.com/divinemercy.html
http://www.divinemercysunday.com/

Pray the Chaplet at 3:00PM on Divine Mercy Sunday and the Novena.
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary 1209, 796)

In reference to Divine Mercy Sunday:
"The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.... Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy." (699)

Mel Gibbson's "The Passion of The Christ"

I'll be hosting two (2) screenings of Mel Gibbson's "The Passion of The Christ" this Friday (April 10th) - Good Friday - at my house in Riverside.

If you haven't seen this powerfully moving film in it's most-recent HD Blu-Ray Disc version on a 50" widescreen plasma HDTV yet....well, this is your chance!!

I hope you will consider joining me at 7:30p...the 1st showing will start at 7:45p, with an 'Encore Presentation' at 10p for those that can't make the earlier viewing (or would just like to see it twice!!)

Please RSVP via email here squishymac@yahoo.com or call/text me @ 652-5673 for the address.God Bless!
Sean Wilcox

Emmaus Holy Week Events

The holiest week of the year is almost upon us! What a precious time of year to spend some intimate time with our Lord and what better way to walk with Christ than as the Body of Christ with out Emmaus family!

We will not be meeting at St. Ephrem's for Emmaus next Thursday with it being Holy Thursday, but we have decided go to Mass with each other and with our Lord at the below times and places.

Holy Thursday, 4/9/09 - 7PM Mass at Assumption Parish - What a beautiful Mass - recalling the Last Supper, the Washing of Feet, the Institution of the Priesthood and the Institution of the Eucharist!

Good Friday, 4/10/09 - noon - 3PM at Immaculate Conception downtown. You may come for some or all of the time shown, that will include:
Confession 11:30 - 1:00
Reading of the Passion (noon)
Veneration of the Cross
Communion Service (not "Mass" because Good Friday is the only day each year when the Eucharist is not consecrated)
Reflections on the 7 Last Words of Christ
Stations of the Cross

Note: if you do have to work on Friday, there will be veneration of the cross and a communion service offered throughout the diocese in the evening as well

Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass 8:30PM at the Cathedral in St. Augustine with the Bishop.

The readings take us through salvation history as we start the night in darkness and are given the light to share with others. We'll rejoice with those Candidates and Catechumens who will join us fully at the banquet of the Lord and receive the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation (some having also previously made their first Reconciliation). What a joyous occasion to share with these new brothers and sisters and what an amazing amount of grace!

And then...all are welcome to an Easter celebration at my house Saturday night/Sunday morning following the Easter Vigil Mass! If there was ever a time all year to celebrate, this is it! It will be late as we probably won't get back to the house until 11:30 or midnight, but if you are able to make it and would like to bring a snack or drink that would be great. I am planning to make breakfast! If you are not able to make it to the Vigil Mass you are still welcome to join us later.

If you would like to carpool to the Cathedral, meet at my place at 7:15PM - we'll be leaving at 7:30 since parking can be a challenge.

Call Jennifer at 904 347 5873 or e-mail her at jaschmitz@gmail.com if you have any questions and need directions to her place.

I pray that this Holy Week will be a special time of allowing our Lord to draw close to you and fill every desire of your heart with His love. I hope that YOU (yes, you specifically...reading this right now) are able to walk with us as we encourage one another to walk more closely with Him. May the joy of Easter soon be yours always and may we never cease to praise Him!

with love,
Jennifer
and the Emmaus Core Team

"Men [and women] of Israel [and Jacksonville], listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." Acts 2:22-24

"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" 1 Cor 15: 19-20 (all of 1 Cor 15 has to do with the Resurrection - I highly recommend you check it out!)

TGIFF -Seven Sorrows of Mary

Today is TGIFF (Thank God it is First Friday) as well as the day the Church meditates and prays the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The below link describes the prayers and meditations. Special graces are given by God when you pray them. Try to go to Mass today and pray the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Remember, Emmaus meets at Immaculate Conception on First Fridays for the 12:10 Mass.

http://www.jesus-passion.com/SEVEN_SORROWS_OF_MARY.htm

Sean and the Core Team of Emmaus