Lent is Almost Here!

Lent comes early this year; it begins this Wednesday, February 14, Valentine’s Day! We hope to have many special opportunities for faith formation, community life and spiritual growth in our six parishes. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of everything going on, I would like to suggest that you make special note of the following dates/events:

Wednesday, February 14th: Ash Wednesday
A day of fast and abstinence. Not a holy day of obligation, but Mass is a good kick-off for Lent! There are many Mass times scheduled throughout the six parishes.

5 Wednesday Evenings: February 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20
Evening Mass at St. Bart, followed by soup supper and faith formation. The first three of these Wednesdays, I will teach a Bible class on St. Paul and his writings. On March 13, we will do Stations of the Cross. On March 20, we will do a scriptural rosary.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays all through Lent and Easter Season
12 Noon Mass at St. Vivian Church. This is great opportunity for late risers and people with flexible lunch breaks to try attending weekday Mass. It is a great help to your faith relationship with the Lord Jesus and the Church!

Tuesday, March 12
Evening Taize Lenten Prayer Service at St. Clare Church, 7:00pm. The music from this ecumenical monastic community in France has touched many hearts throughout the world over the last forty years. Darin Art and the St. Clare Choir and musicians will be leading us in the beautiful songs that touch on the Suffering and Death of our Lord.

Wednesday, March 20
Confession-a-thon at St. Clare Church, 4:30-7:30pm. For those who have not attended one of these, I must recommend it as a convenient and beautiful way to go to confession and to pray for our own repentance and that of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

- Fr. Umberg