Posted on March 5, 2017 View all news
Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!
As we begin our first full week of Lent, we enter full of resolve with all our penances and mortifications. May we not fail to pray that we also remain steadfast in our penances throughout the entirety of Lent. Lent becomes an image of what our daily life looks like so often. We are resolved and do desire to become saints, but fail so often and quickly by our sins. May we change this pattern here and now, during Lent, by remaining faithful in our fasts, penances, and observances. In this way we can begin to avoid a life of sin, while enjoying a life of grace and virtue. We can then become saints, which the world so desperately needs!
The Church asks very little of us during Lent, but we are always encouraged to do more. These penances help unite us more closely to the suffering of Christ. Please remember that we are to abstain from meat on every Friday during Lent. Throughout the year, we are also asked to abstain from meat on Fridays, but may substitute another penance if needed. I will pray that we all have a fruitful Lent. In addition to your own penances, I encourage you to take advantage of some adoration time here at Church, or to take part in Stations of the Cross, daily Mass, or our weekly Catechism offerings. These are all offered for your spiritual growth, See the following pages of the bulletin for some of these opportunities. Please don’t pass up these opportunities!
In the back of Church there are flyers concerning our upcoming pilgrimage to Italy. The pilgrimage is based upon the footsteps of St. Philip Neri, with a special look at how he arrived in Rome and became its third apostle. Join us as we visit the beautiful country of Italy, enjoying daily Mass (in both the ordinary and extraordinary form), the sights, a Papal Audience, and the experience of being in the cradle of Roman Catholicism. Please see me for more information or to sign up. Space is limited, so sign up early!
Please be sure to mark down both March 24 and March 25 as we celebrate our Patronal Feast Day. We will begin with First Solemn Vespers of the Annunciation on Friday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m. The following day, Saturday, March 25, Solemn Mass (Latin Ordinary Form) will be offered at 10:00 a.m. A social will follow in Fr. Felten Hall. A plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, is gained by visiting Old St. Mary’s on its Patronal Feast Day. Please join us!
Finally, I wish to introduce a slight change to the 9:15 a.m. Mass beginning today. There will no longer be a procession with the Gospel Book during normal Sunday Masses. The use of the Gospel Book will be reserved for Solemn Mass, to express the special nature of the Book of the Gospels. The priest will proceed as normal to the Altar for prayers and charging of the incense. The people can then stand once the priest reaches the Ambo and begins with the Dominus Vobiscum. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.
I wish you a blessed week ahead and God Bless!
