The Lenten Season got underway last Wednesday as we celebrated Ash Wednesday. Hopefully, all of us are beginning our efforts to put into practice the Lenten disciplines of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. During the Lenten Season, St. Patrick’s offers parishioners opportunities to help guide your living the Lenten disciplines with various parish programs.
Fasting—While it is good to “give up” certain things such as candy, meat, alcohol or some other enjoyable distraction for Lent, the real spirit of fasting comes when we recognize the need to abstain from things in our life that are hurtful to our relationship to God, others or our better selves. That would of course be sin. On Sunday, March 19, at 6:00 pm we will hold our Lenten Reconciliation Service. There will be several priests assisting Fr. Sullivan that evening so take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate reconciliation in preparation for Easter.
Almsgiving—All registered parishioners received a Lenten Letter in anticipation of the season last week. Also in the mailing was one of our Lenten folders. The folder is designed for you to put aside 50c every day of Lent for a total of $20. The proceeds of our Lenten Folders will be donated to Food for the Poor to build a house in Haiti or another poor country in Latin America. Each house costs $3,200. Over the last three years we have built a house each year. Join in this almsgiving opportunity this year. Take a look at the pictures of the families we have helped over the years. They are displayed on the poster at the front of the church.
Prayer—Put into practice the discipline of prayer by attending Daily Mass during the Lenten Season. In addition to our regular 8 am Daily Mass, we will add an evening Mass at 7 pm. On Wednesdays Deacon David Murphy will conduct a Communion Service. Also plan to attend Stations of the Cross each Friday evening of Lent at 7:30 pm.