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Upcoming events around the diocese - March 2024

Saturday, March 2

Magnificat Prayer Luncheon

The next Magnificat Prayer Luncheon will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Family Life Center in the Assembly Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The guest speaker will be Jess Echeverry, an advocate for women and families who survived a life of dark times and abuse. Come hear how she found the key to perfect forgiveness through God’s grace. Tickets are $20 and include a catered lunch. Tickets are available online at BirminghamMagnificat.org or by contacting Lucy at 205.529.0259 or from Alpha Church Supply. No tickets are sold at the door or after Feb. 25.


Saturday, March 2

Come & See day at Sacred Heart Monastery

The Benedictine Sisters invite single, Catholic women aged 18-45 to the monastery from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. to learn about Benedictine life. Those attending will not only join the sisters for lunch and supper but also pray with them at vespers. The day will also include a tour and opportunities to speak with individual sisters about their life and vocation. The monastery is located at 916 Convent Road, Northeast in Cullman. To register, please e-mail vocations@shmon.org or call 205.919.0637.


Saturday, March 2

Women’s Day

St. Joseph Catholic Church in Huntsville will host a Women’s Day at 10 a.m. as part of Women's History Month. The event, sponsored by the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary - St. Francis of Assisi Court #286
, will feature the theme “Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” The guest speaker will be Michelle Jordan, executive director for Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, known as TARCOG. A reception and an opportunity for questions will follow in the St. Francis Hall. The cost to attend is $20, which will go towards Holy Family Catholic School. Remember to wear your pearls. For more information, please e-mail hwtaylor1173@bellsouth.net. The church is located at 2300 Beasley Avenue, Northwest.


Friday - Sunday, March 8-10

Annual men’s retreat

Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat in Fort Mitchell will hold their annual men’s retreat, “Into the Deep.” Father Peyton Plessala, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mobile and current parochial vicar of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Auburn, will serve as the retreat speaker. The retreat will focus on inviting men deeper into their relationship with Jesus through deeper prayer and deeper healing. All of us grow comfortable in our routines and in our familiar spaces, but the Lord always invites us deeper. This retreat will teach men how to pray more intentionally, how to make themselves more available to God’s healing grace, and how to enter into the spiritual combat that wages around them. The retreat will include adoration, confession, and Mass. It will begin at 7 p.m. (Eastern) on Friday, March 8, and end after lunch on Sunday, March 10. The fee is $198 per person for the weekend, which includes a $90 non-refundable deposit. A day hop option is available for $90 per person, which includes a $45 non-refundable deposit. To register for the retreat, please visit msbt.org/btsr. The retreat center is located at 107 Holy Trinity Road.


Friday, March 8

Barbara Bonner Memorial Fish Fry

Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Birmingham will hold a Lenten fish fry in honor of Barbara Bonner, who was a founding member of the parish and a pillar of the community. All proceeds will go to support the parish she loved. Sandwiches and plates will be available for purchase from 1-6 p.m. The church is located at 3401 27th Court, North.


Saturday, March 9

Shroud of Turin Day of Recollection

The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament is honored to have on permanent exhibit four actual-size, natural view and negative images of the Shroud or Turin, believed to be the authentic burial cloth of Jesus. In February 2024 these images were updated to new high-resolution transparencies which reveal the amazing detail of the shroud image. The shrine will host a Lenten Day of Recollection from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. To register for this free event, please visit olamshrine.com/shroud. The shrine is located at 3222 County Road 548 in Hanceville.


Friday, March 15

Comunita Cenacolo Living Stations of the Cross

The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament will host a moving live presentation of the Stations of the Cross performed by members of the Cenacolo Community at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to people of all faiths and ages. The performance will be held outdoors in the piazza at the shrine, located at 3222 County Road 548 in Hanceville. Seating will be provided. For more information, please visit olamshrine.com/calendar.


Wednesday – Thursday, March 20-21

Lenten Retreat

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Birmingham will hold a Lenten retreat from 6-7:30 p.m. both nights. The retreat will feature the theme “From Trial to Triumphant” and be led by Father Manuel B. Williams of Resurrection Catholic Church in Montgomery. Light refreshments will be served from 5-5:45 p.m. The church is located at 708 1st Street, South. For more information, please call 205.322.1205.


Thursday – Saturday, March 21-23

St. Mark Flea Market

St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church will hold the St. Mark Flea Market on three consecutive days. The market will be run by the Knights of Columbus, and the proceeds go to numerous charities in Alabama. Items will include furniture, clothing, toys, tools, books, appliances, jewelry, and much more. On Thursday, market hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The next day, the market will be open from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. On Saturday, hours will be from 7 a.m. until noon. The church is located at 7340 Cahaba Valley Road. For more information, please visit stmarkrc.org.


Tuesday, March 26

Chrism Mass

Bishop Raica will celebrate the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul at 10:30 a.m. During the Mass, the bishop will consecrate the sacred oils to be used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, and holy orders. Additionally, priests of the diocese will gather at this Mass to renew their priestly promises, showing their fidelity to their bishop and to Christ. 


Thursday, March 28

Holy Thursday


Friday, March 29

Good Friday 


Saturday, March 30

Swieconka

The Cathedral of St. Paul will hold Swieconka (Blessing of the Baskets) at 9 a.m. with Bishop Raica. Swieconka (sh-vee-en-soon-kah) is one of the most enduring and beloved Polish traditions. Baskets containing a sampling of Easter foods are brought to church to be blessed on Holy Saturday. The basket is traditionally lined with a white linen or lace napkin and decorated with sprigs of boxwood (bukszpan), the typical Easter evergreen. This food is shared on Easter morning in a ritual breaking of the fast. For more information, please e-mail krista@stpaulsbhm.org. The cathedral is located at 2120 3rd Avenue, North in Birmingham.     


Saturday, March 30

Holy Saturday      


Sunday, March 31

Easter Sunday