Pastoral Circular Letter

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Notes for the Reverend Clergy I. Lent this year begins February 23rd. Kindly read and explain the Lenten Regulations and the Lenten Pastoral on the preceding Sunday, February 20th. II. Pastors are requested to read in the vernacular, at the daily Mass, the Gospel which is assigned for each day of Lent. III. The Prayer to St. Joseph is to be recited following the prayers after low Mass every day in March and after the Rosary in October. IV. The Annual Octave of Prayer for Religious Vocations will begin on Sunday, February 27th, and on that day the Rev. Pastors will preach on vocations to the Priesthood and Sisterhood and urge the people to pray for this worthy cause. From Sunday, February 27th, to Sunday, March 5th, inclusive, the priests will make daily memento and add Collect No. 3 (pro re gravi) in their Masses. Kindly ask the Sisters to offer their daily Communion and have the school children pray in the class room for this intention. Suggest also some family prayer in the home. V. DIOCESAN COLLECTIONS A. THREE IN ONE. Please announce on Sunday, February 20th, and take up on Sunday, February 27th, the "Three in One Collection." It includes St. Peter's Pence, Indian and Negro Missions and the Catholic University. The quotas are as follows: $100.00 Baker, Bend, La Grande, Klamath Falls, Pendleton, The Dalles. 50.00 Ontario, Heppner, Condon, Lakeview. 25.00 Enterprise, Hermiston, Burns, Hood River, Merrill, Redmond, Prineville. 10.00 Freewater, Chiloquin, St. Andrews Mission, John Day, Dufur. B. BISHOPS' WAR RELIEF FUND—for European War sufferers—March 25th. C. CLERGY RELIEF FUND, FIRST SUNDAY OF JUNE. VI. It is the earnest desire of the Holy Father, Pius XII, that all the faithful, adults and children, should become members of the society for the Propagation of the Faith. Mission Sunday for this diocese is the last Sunday in October. On that day, the Rev. Pastors should exhort Christ on earth. A special collection shall be taken up and an opportunity given the people to enroll themselves and families in this society. Pastors will please send immediately to the Diocesan Director, Rev. O. Nooy, a check for the membership fees and the Mission Sunday Collection. VII. We again call on the zeal of the Rev. Pastors to promote a spirit of piety among people by means of public devotions. The following should be given special attention: FORTY HOURS, TITULAR FEAST OF THE CHURCH, MAY DEVOTIONS, SACRED HEART DEVOTIONS, REAST DURING OCTOBER, TRIDUUMS IN PREPARATION for the major feasts, the Novena of Pentecost, THE CHURCH UNITY OCTAVE, and THE HOLY HOUR. VIII. Religious Vacation Schools will be held under the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. IX. Our Clergy Retreat this year is private in June or July. X. Special Lenten Devotions, in addition to the usual Sunday Services, are ordered to be held two evenings of each week in all Churches having resident pastors. An instruction should be given one one of the evenings; on the other, the Way of the Cross, with…