Lent
Lent is a yearly celebration by the Church of its corporate conversion in Jesus Christ. Lent has two major purposes: It recalls or prepares for baptism and emphasizes a spirit of penance. Through forty days of closer attention to God's Word and of more fervent prayer, believers are prepared to celebrate the Paschal Mystery. Lenten instructions stress these baptismal and penitential themes. The Church encourages penitential practices that are external and social, reflecting the circumstances of individuals and communities as we pray and do penance for sinners. During Lent we are encouraged to increase our prayer, fasting and almsgiving. What people often do leading up to Lent is pray and discern what they want to give up and take on for the season.
Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent is on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. We will have two masses: 9am and 7pm.
Ash Wednesday is a universal day of fasting* and abstinence from meat**.
All Friday's during the season of Lent, are specific days in which Catholics are also called to abstain from meat and fast and take more time to pray. Throughout the year, Catholics should avoid meat as well on Fridays.
* "Christian fasting obtains its full meaning when we deprive ourselves of food in order to be more open to prayer, to share more in the suffering of those who are starving and to save money to give to the poor. Fasting is a penitential discipline intended to open our hearts to God and to others, a mean of purification and spiritual liberation, a witness to the depth of our faith".
** "The law of 'abstinence from meat' binds those who are 14 and older; the law of 'fasting' binds those from 18 to 59 years of age. Parents and educators are reminded of their duty to introduce children gradually to the understand and practice of penance. The actions modeled by adults will be the greatest influence in this matter."
There will be Stations of the Cross after every 9am Friday morning Mass during Lent.
On Good Friday there will be Stations of the Cross at 7pm.
During Holy week, on Tuesday April 4th there will be no Mass at the parish (or our evening adoration/confession) due to the Chrism Mass.
There will be no 9am Mass on Holy Thursday, only the 7pm Mass followed by a time of prayer in the church.
